Longitudinal biomarker studies in human neuroimaging: capturing biological change of Alzheimer's pathology

Fischer, Larissa, Parker, Dana, Maboudian, Samira, Fonseca, Corrina, Tato-Fernández, Claudia, Annen, Lucie, Arunachalam, Prithvi, Bacci, Julia R., Barboure, Michelle, Capelli, Serena, Karagianni, Stamatia, Collij, Lyduine E., Edison, Paul, Fox, Nick C., Franzmeier, Nicolai, Grothe, Michel J., Jagust, William J., Maass, Anne, Malpetti, Maura, Paterson, Ross W., Sogorb-Esteve, Aitana and Schöll, Michael 2025. Longitudinal biomarker studies in human neuroimaging: capturing biological change of Alzheimer's pathology. Alzheimer's Research and Therapy 10.1186/s13195-025-01920-6

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Abstract

Despite extensive research, open questions about the biological underpinnings of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remain. Neuroimaging biomarkers based on positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offer in vivo insights into these complex biological changes and interactions. However, most evidence to date comes from cross-sectional studies, limiting our understanding of disease progression. Longitudinal studies enable the investigation of biological changes within individuals, revealing how pathology evolves over time. With this review, we provide an overview of how longitudinal imaging biomarker studies have advanced the field and how they can contribute to future research. We highlight longitudinal biomarker studies that have provided critical insights into disease trajectories, staging, and individual variability. We further assess longitudinal multimodal studies which have elucidated interactions between AD-specific pathology, amyloid-β and tau, and broader biological changes like neurodegeneration, neuronal dysfunction, vascular disease, and inflammation. Further, we discuss associations of brain changes with symptomatology and clinical outcomes and conclude with challenges and future directions.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Medicine
Publisher:	BioMed Central
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	18 December 2025
Date of Acceptance:	21 November 2025
Last Modified:	18 Dec 2025 11:45
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/183360

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