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Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Observational Ages 55 to 110

Tracking amyloid in the aging brain with PET scans

Official title: PET Imaging in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA)

Run by National Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC) · NCT07099053 · Data updated 2026-11-12

PET scans will be used to track amyloid in people aged 55 and older enrolled in the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging to see if amyloid changes are linked to memory decline or other brain changes.

Quick facts

Study typeObservational
Ages55 Years to 110 Years
SexAll
Enrollment400 (estimated)
SponsorNational Institutes of Health Clinical Center (CC)
NIH
Drugs / interventionsradiation
Locations1 site (Baltimore, Maryland)
StatusRecruiting
StartedNovember 15, 2026
Main results expectedDecember 12, 2029
Study endsDecember 12, 2029
Registry record updatedNovember 10, 2026
Trial IDNCT07099053 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging participants aged 55 or older who can give informed consent, can undergo MRI, and do not have major central nervous system disease or excluded implants or conditions.

Probably not a fit

People with preexisting central nervous system diseases, implanted electronic hearing devices or pacemakers, certain active cancers, those exceeding the weight limit, or those not enrolled in the BLSA are unlikely to be eligible or to receive benefit from this protocol.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This longitudinal observational protocol performs serial PET imaging with the amyloid tracer (18F) florbetaben (Neuraceq) alongside routine BLSA MRI and cognitive testing to map amyloid distribution over time. Participants are BLSA volunteers aged 55 and older and receive imaging every 1 to 4 years, with annual scans for those 80 and older. About half of participants are also enrolled in an autopsy program to compare in vivo imaging with postmortem pathology. The goal is to link regional amyloid accumulation and other imaging measures to subsequent cognitive decline and resilience.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify early amyloid changes that predict future cognitive decline, enabling earlier monitoring and targeted preventive strategies.

How similar studies have gone: Longitudinal amyloid PET using tracers such as PiB and florbetaben has been conducted since 2005 and has yielded important insights into amyloid accumulation, though it does not yet perfectly predict individual clinical outcomes.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria 
* INCLUSION/EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
* Participants are men and women 55 years and older drawn from the BLSA sample and thus, represent the gender/ethnic characteristics of this study group. Enrollment is defined as the initial imaging session of the planned longitudinal study.
* Inclusion criteria. BLSA participants who do not meet exclusion criteria and have had or agreed to have an MRI under the BLSA study.
* Participants who lack capacity to consent will not be enrolled in the study. If the participant loses capacity to consent over the course of follow-up they will be removed from the study. Competency to consent is assessed as part of the BLSA visit and we will not include people who are not competent to provide consent.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

* Preexisting central nervous system diseases
* Weight over 300 lbs.
* Active metastatic cancer (except basal cell cancer)
* Implanted electronic hearing devices
* Breast Cancer with radiation treatment
* Lymphoma
* Pacemaker
* Brain tumor
* Shrapnel
* Schizophrenia
* Bipolar disorder
* Epilepsy
* Language barrier that makes it difficult to understand participant.
* Aneurisms greater than 3mm
* Aneurysm clips
* Parkinson s disease/PD medications
* Huntington s disease
* Severe Endocrinopathy- treated thyroid conditions ok; treated, controlled diabetes ok. (exclude HbA1c over 8 which is poorly controlled diabetes)
* Diagnosis of dementia or mild cognitive impairment
* Younger than 55 years of age
* Pregnancy
* Ineligible for MRI
* History of stroke or documented TIAs requiring hospitalization
* Known brain vascular malformations or adenomas
* History of significant radiation exposure
* Those with a Blessed score of 4 or more with the BLSA will be reviewed at a research diagnostic case conference to rule out dementia diagnoses prior to enrollment.
* Participants undergoing chronic treatment with a CYP1A2 inducer will be ineligible for Tauklarify PET, but this does not constitute an exclusion criterion for Neuraceq PET.

Where it's running

  • National Institute of Aging, Clinical Research Unit
    Baltimore, Maryland, United States     Recruiting

Study contacts

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
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Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.