Brain acetylcholinesterase activity in Alzheimer disease measured by positron emission tomography

Brain acetylcholinesterase activity was measured in 14 patients with Alzheimer disease and 14 age-matched control subjects by positron emission tomography with a radioactive acetylcholine analogue. Kinetic analysis was performed to calculate k(3), an index of acetylcholinesterase activity. The k(3) values were significantly reduced in the neocortex, hippocampus, and amygdala of all patients with Alzheimer disease, suggesting a loss of cholinergic innervation from the basal forebrain. Most profound reductions of k(3) values were observed in the temporal (-30%) and parietal cortices (-31%), although reductions of k(3) values were relatively uniform in the cerebral neocortex. This technique may be a powerful tool for early diagnosis of Alzheimer disease and also for therapeutic monitoring of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors in Alzheimer disease.