Imaging Innovations

PET Imaging Tracers

Profiling the changes in the brains of people who carry the APOE ε4 gene variant — which multiplies risk for Alzheimer’s disease — is a promising way to address dementia. It may open the chance to not only gain a better understanding of Alzheimer’s disease but also provide customized prevention or treatment for APOE ε4 carriers.

The Center for Personalized Brain Health unifies researchers in the Keck School of Medicine of USC’s neurology and radiology departments to develop new imaging techniques. Our latest innovation is based on the PET scan’s ability to reveal metabolic activity of cells.

Visualizing the APOE ε4 Brain

Research dating back to 2015 found that even before midlife — and far before the damage caused by Alzheimer’s typically sets in — the brains of APOE ε4 carriers have increased uptake of omega-3 fatty acids compared to those without the variant. This difference suggests that the APOE ε4 brain may be starved for omega-3s, which are understood to inhibit processes that lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

To probe this variation, researchers at the USC Center for Personalized Brain Health created a PET imaging method to trace a specific omega-3 fatty acid called DHA. We are working to translate the method from laboratory models to humans.

Such an advancement in PET imaging for Alzheimer’s could uncover previously unknown biological markers that tell us about risk for the disease as well as progression. Accessing that information is expected to prove a powerful tool in Alzheimer’s research, prevention and treatment.

Our goal is to develop personalized brain health recommendations for APOE ε4 carriers in their 30s and 40s that thwart the development of dementia later in life.