Neuroimaging techniques for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease and cerebrovascular diseases with cognitive impairment

The paper provides data on current neuroimaging techniques for diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease and vascular cognitive impairment (CN). Structural neuroimaging methods can identify potentially treatable diseases leading to dementia and assess the magnitude and localization of atrophic and cerebrovascular changes in brain tissue. Particular attention is paid to the specific signs of Alzheimer’s disease: to the visual assessment of sections and the use of various rating scales (GCA, MTA, Koedam). Vascular changes that are most significant for the development of CI are considered. A new approach to diagnosing CI is presented, by taking into account the biomarkers of amyloidosis, tauopathy, neurodegeneration, and cerebrovascular damage. The results of the authors’ own investigations using positron emission tomography, single photon emission computed tomography, magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and functional magnetic resonance imaging at rest allow these techniques to be recommended for the early diagnosis of CI of different genesis