UF-Led Study Could Lead to New Way To Detect Brain Changes Associated With Alzheimer’s Risk

New research suggests there may be a link between abnormal blood levels of amyloid — a protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease — and subtle changes in the brain microstructures.

The researchers found, through a new MRI method called diffusion MRI, or “free-water imaging”, an association in those with abnormal amyloid levels in the blood and structural abnormalities in the brain.

The investigators found that free-water imaging can detect early stages of decline in brain tissue and recognize tiny structures in key parts of the brain — even when a PET scan is negative. David Vaillancourt, Ph.D., a professor and chair of the UF College of Health and Human Performance’s department of applied physiology and kinesiology, said these findings have changed how experts think about this disease.

“Previously people would say one of the earliest events you would see is amyloid positivity in the brain on a PET scan,” said Vaillancourt, senior author of the paper. “Our findings suggest there seem to be events occurring both in the blood and in the brain before you detect amyloid positivity in the brain.”

Read more: UF-Led Study Could Lead to New Way To Detect Brain Changes Associated With Alzheimer’s Risk.