Protective Factors Modulate the Risk of Beta Amyloid in Alzheimer's Disease

Aim. To identify the factors protecting Abeta-positive subjects with normal cognition (NC) or mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from conversion to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods. Subjects with MCI in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database, with baseline data for neuropsychological tests, brain beta amyloid (Abeta), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), APOE genotyping, and 18F-FDG-PET (FDG), were included for analysis. Results. Elevated brain amyloid was associated with a higher risk of conversion from MCI to AD (41.5%) relative to Abeta levels of FDG > 5.946 had a lower risk of AD. ApoE4 carrier status did not influence the protective effect. Conclusion. Higher average CGM based on FDG modified the progression to AD, indicating a protective function. The results suggest that the inclusion of this CGM measured by FDG would enrich clinical trial design and that increasing CGM along with the use of anti-Abeta agents might be a potential prevention strategy for AD.