AMDdx Collaborations

ADMdx has collaborated with leading researchers and institutions to advance the field in the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and other brain disorders.

Dawn Matthews, ADMdx CEO, (3rd from left) in panel discussion with (from left to right) Dr. Howard Fillit of the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, Dr. Krista Lanctôt, and Dr. Ana Pereira. See article here.

Evaluation of rasagiline and biomarker relationships in AD

In this Phase 2 clinical trial of rasagiline in mid to moderate AD patients, ADMdx applied advanced analytic methods to detect disease, drug effect, and biomarker relationships.

Highlights:

ADMdx FDG PET image classifiers were used to screen paients for inclusion
ADMdx identified a fronto-striatal drug effect on brain glucose metabolism consistent with the drug’s mechanism of action
ADMdx identified relationships between imaging biomarkers, blood biomarkers measured by Dr. Jefferson Kinney, UNLV, and cognitive endpoints
The study also illustrated the heterogeneity present in patient populations clinically diagnosed with mild to moderate AD, and potential biomarker approaches to reduce variabilityIn this Phase 2 clinical trial of rasagiline in mid to moderate AD patients, ADMdx applied advanced analytic methods to detect disease, drug effect, and biomarker relationships.

More information about this study, funded by the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, is found here.

Diagnostic to detect Traumatic Brain Injury effects

ADMdx is developing a diagnostic tool to detect the effects of repetitive head impact, progression toward Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, and their differentiation from Alzheimer’s disease. Our work involves an unprecedented combination of data in collaboration with leaders in the TBI and Alzheimer’s fields:

Dr. Charles Bernick, PI, Professional Athletes Brain Health Study, Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health
Dr. Robtert Stern, lead PI for the DIAGNOSE-CTE study of retired college football and NFL players
Dr. Jeffrey Cummings, co-PI for the DIAGNOSE-CTE study
Dr. Aaron Ritter, Director of the Memory Center of the Hoag Pickens Neuroscience Institute
Dr. Yu-Chien Wu, MD PhD, Concussion Assessment, Research and Education (CARE) Consortium

Evaluation of the effects of Riluzole in AD

In collaboration with Dr. Pereria, ADMdx used advanced analyses to detect disease and treatment effects upon glucose metabolism.

Highlights:

ADMdx FDG PET image classifiers were used to support patient inclusion/exclusion
ADMdx identified significant treatment effects upon glucose metabolism in regions affected in AD, particularly the posterior cingulate and precuneus
ADMdx identified relationships between regional glucose metabolism and cognitive endpoints

More information about this study, funded by the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, is found here.

Detection of Alzheimer’s disease progression in Down Syndrome

ADMdx collaborated with Dr. Michael Rafii of UCSD/USC, applying multivariate machine learning to detect Alzheimer’s disease progression within adults with Down Syndrome.

Highlights:

Using machine learning and (1) a single FDG PET scan, or separately, (2) a single MRI scan from each participant, ADMdx was able to dissociate effects of Down Syndrome from those of Alzheimer’s disease in each individual
Identification of an Alzheimer’s pattern in FDG PET or MRI corresponded to amyloid and tau positivity
Longitudinal progression of the AD pattern was observed in MRI
Results correlated with cognitive endpoints

Read more about this study in our two published papers in Alz&Dem:TRCI and JAD.

Quantification of disease progression in DIAN

In collaboration with Dr. Benzinger of the Washington University School of Medicine, ADMdx applied multivariate machine learning to determine patterns of glucose hypometabolism and brain atrophy associated with the emergence of AD in early onset Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer’s Disease patients.

Highlights:

Progressive patterns of effects were identified and quantified as numeric scores
Pattern emergence was observed prior to the onset of symptoms, using either FDG PET or MRI, and scores increased in magnitude as disease progressed
Pattern scores correlated with clinical decline
Non-carriers of the familial AD genes did not express the FDG or MRI patterns

See our poster presented at the Clinical Trials in Alzheimer’s Disease Conference (CTAD), 2017 here.

Detection of the effects of diet and exercise on Alzheimer’s disease risk

ADMdx has collaborated with Dr. Lisa Mosconi of the Weill Cornell School of Medicine to study the effects of diet, exercise, sex, menopause, and family history upon risk for Alzheimer’s disease.

Highlights:

Adherence to a Mediterranean diet showed a mitigating effect upon AD risk as measured using imaging biomarkers
Menopause is associated with brain biomarker changes suggesting vulnerability to AD
Maternal family history was associated with increased AD related biomarker findings
Exercise showed a mitigating effect upon AD related biomarkers

Read more about these studies in published papers such as Rahman et al and Berti et al.

Study of the effects of Allopregnanolone in mild AD patients

ADMdx is collaborating with Dr. Roberta Brinton and team in the study of the effects of the neurosteroid Allopregnanolone (Allo) on mild Alzheimer’s disease patients.

Highlights:

Allopregnanolone has demonstrated neuro-regeneration effects in preclinical models of AD
In an exploratory Phase I clinical trial, Allo was associated with favorable effects as measured by hippocampal volume, white matter tract integrity, and brain connectivity
ADMdx is collaborating with Dr. Brinton and team on a Phase II clinical trial of Allo, in which advanced MRI sequences will be used to further evaluate drug effects in mild AD patients

Read more about this work in a publication by Raikes et al, here.