Molecular neuroimaging of Alzheimer's disease

Nabuurs, R.J.A. (2014)

Doctoral Thesis

Alzheimer__s disease (AD) is the predominant form of dementia in the aging population and its increasing incidence represents an important socio-economic and public health concern. The hallmarks of this disease, amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, are thought to develop early in the disease pathogenesis, up to decades before first clinical symptoms occur. However, these pathological hallmarks are still difficult to detect in vivo, and therefore a definitive diagnosis can only be made post-mortem. A clinical imaging technique or biomarker capable of visualizing and quantifying amyloid plaques and associated early changes thus may enable an earlier diagnosis, better understanding of the pathophysiology and eventually aid therapy development. The work presented in this thesis aimed to develop innovative diagnostic imaging techniques to detect the histological signatures of AD using emerging ultra-high field MRI technologies (Part I) and molecular imaging strategies (Part II).

• Amyloid-beta
• Magnetic resonance imaging
• Molecular Imaging
• Alzheimer's disease

• All authors: Nabuurs, R.J.A.
• Supervisor: Buchem, M.A. van
• Co-supervisor: Weerd, L. van der
• Qualification: Doctor (dr.)
• Awarding Institution: Faculty of Medicine (LUMC), Leiden University
• Date: 2014-05-28
• ISBN (print): 9789461086761
• Sponsorship: Internationale Stichting Alzheimer Onderzoek, to-BBB, Guerbet Nederland B.V., Philips Healthcare, ABN Amro and ChipSoft B.V.