Amyloid positivity in cognitively sound patients may indicate early Alzheimer’s disease

The development of Alzheimer’s disease pathology may begin as early as 30 years of age, leaving a significant amount of time, approximately 20 to 30 years, between amyloid positivity and the onset of dementia, according to recently published data in JAMA. “This study has several implications for understanding the development of [Alzheimer’s disease]. The observation that key risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease-type dementia are also risk factors for amyloid positivity in cognitively normal persons provides further evidence for the hypothesis that amyloid positivity in these individuals reflects early [Alzheimer’s disease],” the researchers wrote.