University of Oslo study finds Alzheimer's detectable 7 years earlier

Researchers at the University of Oslo have discovered that structural changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease can be detected at least seven years before amyloid plaques become visible on PET scans. This finding suggests that the current gold standard for early detection, amyloid-PET imaging, may not be sensitive enough to capture the earliest biological processes of the disease.

The study, led by postdoctoral researcher James Michael Roe, utilized longitudinal brain imaging data to identify changes in cortical thickness in cognitively healthy older adults. These structural shifts occurred well before the high amyloid burden typically used to mark the disease's progression.

This discovery could significantly broaden the window for early detection and provide new methods for tracking the disease before clinical symptoms emerge. Given that Alzheimer’s is a leading cause of dementia globally, extending the detectable window carries substantial implications for public health and clinical intervention.