PET imaging studies could help uncover relationships between epilepsy and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), according to preliminary data presented at AES 2020.
Epilepsy is a common feature of AD, according to Dr Alice Lam of Harvard University and the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Studies have shown that the onset of seizures in AD patients typically coincides with the onset of cognitive decline and can precede a diagnosis of AD, while animal models have demonstrated that epileptiform activity can contribute to cognitive deficits in AD. They have also established a biological mechanism by which epileptiform activity could accelerate AD progression.