The BEACoN Study (Biomarker Exploration in Aging, Cognition and Neurodegeneration) is a Phase 3 observational study conducted by the University of California, Irvine, investigating the biomarkers of cognitive decline in aging adults[1]. The study aims to characterize the relationships between Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology, brain structure and function, and cognitive performance in cognitively normal older adults[1:1].
Funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) through grant R01AG053555, the BEACoN Study is led by Principal Investigator Michael Yassa, PhD, Professor at UC Irvine[1:2]. The study is actively recruiting participants at UC Irvine in California[1:3].
The BEACoN Study enrolls cognitively intact adults aged 60-85 years from the UCI Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and the local community[1:4]. The primary goal is to identify which combination of neuroimaging biomarkers and cognitive tests best predicts longitudinal cognitive decline and progression to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or AD[1:5].
Key inclusion criteria:
Key exclusion criteria:
The study uses a non-randomized, parallel design with 9 cohorts defined by age range and APOE ε4 carrier status[@clinicaltrialsnav]:
| Cohort | Age Range | APOE Status |
|---|---|---|
| Age 60-65 | APOE ε4+ | |
| Age 66-70 | APOE ε4- | |
| Age 66-70 | APOE ε4+ | |
| Age 71-75 | APOE ε4- | |
| Age 71-75 | APOE ε4+ | |
| Age 76-80 | APOE ε4- | |
| Age 76-80 | APOE ε4+ | |
| Age 81+ | APOE ε4- | |
| Age 81+ | APOE ε4+ |
This design allows researchers to examine how age and genetic risk factors (APOE ε4) interact with biomarkers and cognitive outcomes[1:6].
The study uses florbetapir-F18 (Amyvid™) PET imaging to assess amyloid-beta plaque burden in the brain[1:7]. Amyloid imaging is conducted once at baseline to identify participants with elevated amyloid plaques, a key pathological feature of AD[1:8].
The study employs MK-6240, a second-generation tau PET tracer, to visualize tau neurofibrillary tangles in the brain[1:9]. Tau PET scans are conducted at baseline and Year 1 to track the progression of tau pathology, which spreads in a characteristic pattern (Braak stages) from the entorhinal cortex to the hippocampus[1:10].
High-resolution MRI protocols include:
A comprehensive neuropsychological battery assesses:
The study emphasizes pattern separation tasks, which are sensitive to early hippocampal dysfunction[2].
Key secondary endpoints include:
The BEACoN Study has yielded several important publications:
Stevenson et al. (2020) demonstrated that pattern separation and source memory engage distinct hippocampal and neocortical regions during retrieval[2:1]. This finding has implications for understanding the neural basis of mnemonic discrimination in aging.
Holbrook et al. (2020) identified anterolateral entorhinal cortex thickness as a new biomarker for early detection of AD[3]. This region shows atrophy before the hippocampus in the progression of AD pathology.
Adams et al. (2022) found that entorhinal-hippocampal circuit integrity is related to mnemonic discrimination and amyloid-beta pathology in older adults[4]. The study showed that circuit measures may be more sensitive than individual region volumes.
Adams et al. (2023) revealed differential involvement of hippocampal subfields in the relationship between AD pathology and memory interference in older adults[5].
The BEACoN Study makes several important contributions to AD research:
Contact:
Location:
BEACoN Study - Biomarker Exploration in Aging, Cognition and Neurodegeneration. ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Stevenson RF, Reagh ZM, Chun AP, Murray EA, Yassa MA. Pattern Separation and Source Memory Engage Distinct Hippocampal and Neocortical Regions during Retrieval. Journal of Neuroscience. 2020. ↩︎ ↩︎
Holbrook AJ, Tustison NJ, Marquez F, Roberts J, Yassa MA, Gillen DL. Anterolateral entorhinal cortex thickness as a new biomarker for early detection of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & Dementia. 2020. ↩︎
Adams JN, Kim S, Rizvi B, Sathishkumar M, Taylor L, Harris AL, Mikhail A, Keator DB, McMillan L, Yassa MA. Entorhinal-Hippocampal Circuit Integrity Is Related to Mnemonic Discrimination and Amyloid-beta Pathology in Older Adults. Journal of Neuroscience. 2022. ↩︎
Adams JN, Marquez F, Larson MS, Janecek JT, Miranda BA, Noche JA, Taylor L, Hollearn MK, McMillan L, Keator DB, Head E, Rissman RA, Yassa MA. Differential involvement of hippocampal subfields in the relationship between Alzheimer's pathology and memory interference in older adults. Alzheimer's & Dementia. 2023. ↩︎