University of Oslo study finds earlier signs of Alzheimer's

Researchers from the University of Oslo have discovered that structural changes in the brain can indicate the presence of Alzheimer's disease at least seven years before amyloid plaques become visible on standard PET scans.

The study, published in Nature Neuroscience, utilized nearly two decades of MRI data from healthy individuals to track brain changes over time. By comparing those who eventually developed amyloid plaques with those who did not, the team identified early signals of the disease that current gold-standard imaging tools, such as amyloid-PET scans, have failed to detect.

Lead researcher James Michael Roe noted that these findings suggest disease processes are underway long before symptoms emerge or plaques are detectable. This discovery could potentially facilitate earlier detection and provide new opportunities for tracking and treating the disease before significant cognitive decline occurs.