Imaging markers of structural and functional brain changes that precede cognitive symptoms in risk for Alzheimer's disease

Neuroimaging has rapidly advanced investigations into dysfunction both within and emanating from the hippocampus in early Alzheimer's disease . Focusing on prodromal subjects, we will discuss structural changes to hippocampal subregions, alterations to functional activity both within the hippocampus and elsewhere in the cortex, as well as changes to structural white matter connectivity and changes to functionally correlated patterns during memory performance. We present ample evidence that asymptomatic subjects demonstrate substantial identifiable brain changes before the onset of cognitive decline, but suggest there is significant work yet to be accomplished before applying these findings to individual patients.