Meta-analysis is a statistical research process used to synthesize data from multiple studies that focus on the same question. This process can prove particularly effective in clinical research on Alzheimer’s disease, which often becomes convoluted due to the big corpus of results and individual analyses being performed. The strength and relevance of this approach consist of unifying these results and potentially uncovering links and questions that were not investigated directly in the single studies, as well as shedding some light on apparently contrasting results.
Methodological issues addressed by meta-analyses are inter-individual variability in cognitive assessment proved to be highly significant in old age, conflicting observations due to cultural, genetic but also ethnic background, small samples in case of sophisticated studies including cutting edge approaches mainly for newly proposed biomarkers of aging and Alzheimer disease or autopsy series but also variability in structural and functional neuroimaging settings.
As the population grows older, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are rising, with an estimate of around 139 million patients worldwide in 2050. There is a strong need to implement the results we currently have from the various studies on potential new therapeutic approaches, diagnosis, physiology, and the pathology underlying the disease.
Although previous meta-analyses gave convincing data in the field of structural MRI changes, PET amyloid assessment and patterns of cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s disease, some other dimensions of the disease remain poorly explored with an accumulation of contradictory data in limited series.
In line with this aim, this Research Topic will focus on the use of Meta-analysis on the following themes (but not limited to)
• Sex-related differences in patients with Alzheimer’s disease with particular focus on the gender impact on MRI, CSF and PET biomarkers of the disease as well as cognitive resilience versus vulnerability patterns
• Activation of brain and cognitive resilience in at risk populations such as prodromal or preclinical AD and associated disorders, MCI and healthy controls with subtle cognitive deficits
• Changes in functional and structural connectivity patterns described at early stages of the disease as well as their evolution over time including compensation strategies in preclinical cases
• Relevance of tau, Aß, neuronal and inflammatory plasma biomarkers in the prediction of cognitive outcome
• Effectiveness of traditional and novelty therapeutic approaches including impact of TMS, DBS and classical non-pharmacological interventions
Meta-analysis is a statistical research process used to synthesize data from multiple studies that focus on the same question. This process can prove particularly effective in clinical research on Alzheimer’s disease, which often becomes convoluted due to the big corpus of results and individual analyses being performed. The strength and relevance of this approach consist of unifying these results and potentially uncovering links and questions that were not investigated directly in the single studies, as well as shedding some light on apparently contrasting results.
Methodological issues addressed by meta-analyses are inter-individual variability in cognitive assessment proved to be highly significant in old age, conflicting observations due to cultural, genetic but also ethnic background, small samples in case of sophisticated studies including cutting edge approaches mainly for newly proposed biomarkers of aging and Alzheimer disease or autopsy series but also variability in structural and functional neuroimaging settings.
As the population grows older, Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias are rising, with an estimate of around 139 million patients worldwide in 2050. There is a strong need to implement the results we currently have from the various studies on potential new therapeutic approaches, diagnosis, physiology, and the pathology underlying the disease.
Although previous meta-analyses gave convincing data in the field of structural MRI changes, PET amyloid assessment and patterns of cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s disease, some other dimensions of the disease remain poorly explored with an accumulation of contradictory data in limited series.
In line with this aim, this Research Topic will focus on the use of Meta-analysis on the following themes (but not limited to)
• Sex-related differences in patients with Alzheimer’s disease with particular focus on the gender impact on MRI, CSF and PET biomarkers of the disease as well as cognitive resilience versus vulnerability patterns
• Activation of brain and cognitive resilience in at risk populations such as prodromal or preclinical AD and associated disorders, MCI and healthy controls with subtle cognitive deficits
• Changes in functional and structural connectivity patterns described at early stages of the disease as well as their evolution over time including compensation strategies in preclinical cases
• Relevance of tau, Aß, neuronal and inflammatory plasma biomarkers in the prediction of cognitive outcome
• Effectiveness of traditional and novelty therapeutic approaches including impact of TMS, DBS and classical non-pharmacological interventions
