The patterns of hypometabolism (FDG-PET) and hypoperfusion (MP4A-PET) in MCI covered areas known to be hypometabolic early in AD, while AChE activity was mainly reduced in the lateral temporal cortex and the occipital lobe, sparing posterior midline structures.
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors have a consistent benefit across all stages of dementia; their benefit in mild cognitive impairment and prodromal AD is unproven.
Donepezil is an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor frequently prescribed for the treatment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) though not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for this indication.
We investigated the relationship between WML load assessed with the Scheltens scale, cerebral acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity measured with [<sup>11</sup>C]N-methyl-4-piperidyl acetate PET, and neuropsychological performance in 17 patients with MCI due to AD and 18 cognitively normal older participants.