Adam Mecca, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of PsychiatryCards
About
Research
Publications
2024
Generation of Synthetic brain PET images of synaptic density from MRI and FDG-PET using a Multi-stage U-Net
Zheng X, Worhunsky P, Liu Q, Zhou B, Chen X, Guo X, Xie H, Sun H, Zhang J, Toyonaga T, Mecca A, O’Dell R, van Dyck C, Carson R, Radhakrishnan R, Liu C. Generation of Synthetic brain PET images of synaptic density from MRI and FDG-PET using a Multi-stage U-Net. 2024, 00: 1-2. DOI: 10.1109/nss/mic/rtsd57108.2024.10655600.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSelf‐reported hearing loss is associated with faster cognitive and functional decline but not diagnostic conversion in the ADNI cohort
Miller A, Sharp E, Wang S, Zhao Y, Mecca A, van Dyck C, O'Dell R, Initiative F. Self‐reported hearing loss is associated with faster cognitive and functional decline but not diagnostic conversion in the ADNI cohort. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2024, 20: 7847-7858. PMID: 39324520, DOI: 10.1002/alz.14252.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSelf-reported hearing lossFunctional Activities QuestionnaireHearing lossMild cognitive impairmentModifiable risk factorsMild cognitive impairment participantsFunctional declineImpairment diagnosisModified Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive CompositeRate of functional declineRate of cognitive declinePreclinical Alzheimer Cognitive CompositeRisk factorsCognitive impairmentSignificant longitudinal associationsActivity QuestionnaireLongitudinal associationsAlzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging InitiativeLongitudinal relationshipCognitive compositeCN participantsIncreased riskCognitive declineParticipantsDiagnostic conversionValidation of a Simplified Tissue-to-Reference Ratio Measurement Using SUVR to Assess Synaptic Density Alterations in Alzheimer Disease with [11C]UCB-J PET
Young J, O’Dell R, Naganawa M, Toyonaga T, Chen M, Nabulsi N, Huang Y, Cooper E, Miller A, Lam J, Bates K, Ruan A, Nelsen K, Salardini E, Carson R, van Dyck C, Mecca A. Validation of a Simplified Tissue-to-Reference Ratio Measurement Using SUVR to Assess Synaptic Density Alterations in Alzheimer Disease with [11C]UCB-J PET. Journal Of Nuclear Medicine 2024, 65: jnumed.124.267419. PMID: 39299782, PMCID: PMC11533916, DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.124.267419.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchDistribution volume ratioSUV ratioSynaptic densityEffect sizeAlzheimer's diseaseLongitudinal study of Alzheimer's diseaseMethods:</b> ParticipantsLongitudinal studyMeasure synaptic densityAD participantsStudy of Alzheimer's diseaseNormal cognitionReference regionOlder adultsMulticenterDensity alterationsCT1812 biomarker signature from a meta‐analysis of CSF proteomic findings from two Phase 2 clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease
Lizama B, Williams C, North H, Pandey K, Duong D, Di V, Mecca A, Blennow K, Zetterberg H, Levey A, Grundman M, van Dyck C, Caggiano A, Seyfried N, Hamby M. CT1812 biomarker signature from a meta‐analysis of CSF proteomic findings from two Phase 2 clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2024, 20: 6860-6880. PMID: 39166791, PMCID: PMC11485314, DOI: 10.1002/alz.14152.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchVolumetric magnetic resonance imagingMagnetic resonance imagingPharmacodynamic biomarkersMeta-analysisClinical developmentCerebrospinal fluidPhase 2 clinical trialResonance imagingAlzheimer's diseaseMechanism of actionClinical trialsTandem mass tag-mass spectrometryClinical cohortMild to moderate ADCandidate biomarkersCT1812CohortBiomarker signaturesBiomarkersProteomic findingsUnbiased analysisNetwork analysisAmyloid-betaSynaptic biologyBiological impactRelationship between neuroimaging and cognition in frontotemporal dementia: An FDG‐PET and structural MRI study
Cayir S, Volpi T, Toyonaga T, Gallezot J, Yang Y, Sadabad F, Mulnix T, Mecca A, Fesharaki‐Zadeh A, Matuskey D. Relationship between neuroimaging and cognition in frontotemporal dementia: An FDG‐PET and structural MRI study. Journal Of Neuroimaging 2024, 34: 627-634. PMID: 38676301, PMCID: PMC11511789, DOI: 10.1111/jon.13206.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMoCA scoresFDG-PETAssociation of cognitionStandardized uptake value ratioMontreal Cognitive AssessmentSignificant positive associationFrontotemporal dementiaPrimary outcome measurePosterior cingulate cortexDecline of cognitive functionYears of ageGM volumeFrontal cortexOutcome measuresCognitive dysfunctionGray matterCognitive AssessmentMoCAAssociated with cognitive dysfunctionFluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-PETPositive associationMagnetic resonance imagingPartial volume correctionCognitive functionDementiaInvestigating the Relationships of Atrophy and Hypometabolism on Cognitive Decline in Frontotemporal Dementia (P1-9.018)
Cayir S, Yang Y, Volpi T, Sadabad F, Toyonaga T, Gallezot J, Mecca A, Fesharaki-Zadeh A, Matuskey D. Investigating the Relationships of Atrophy and Hypometabolism on Cognitive Decline in Frontotemporal Dementia (P1-9.018). Neurology 2024, 102 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0000000000204352.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchCommentary on “Study Partner Report of Apathy in Older Adults is Associated with AD Biomarkers: Findings from the Harvard Aging Brain Study”
Khasnavis S, O'Dell R, van Dyck C, Mecca A. Commentary on “Study Partner Report of Apathy in Older Adults is Associated with AD Biomarkers: Findings from the Harvard Aging Brain Study”. American Journal Of Geriatric Psychiatry 2024, 32: 920-921. PMID: 38658231, DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2024.03.017.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAuthor Correction: Synaptic loss and its association with symptom severity in Parkinson’s disease
Holmes S, Honhar P, Tinaz S, Naganawa M, Hilmer A, Gallezot J, Dias M, Yang Y, Toyonaga T, Esterlis I, Mecca A, Van Dyck C, Henry S, Ropchan J, Nabulsi N, Louis E, Comley R, Finnema S, Carson R, Matuskey D. Author Correction: Synaptic loss and its association with symptom severity in Parkinson’s disease. Npj Parkinson's Disease 2024, 10: 55. PMID: 38472206, PMCID: PMC10933370, DOI: 10.1038/s41531-024-00674-6.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSex differences in the pleiotropy of hearing difficulty with imaging-derived phenotypes: a brain-wide investigation
He J, Cabrera-Mendoza B, De Angelis F, Pathak G, Koller D, Curhan S, Curhan G, Mecca A, van Dyck C, Polimanti R. Sex differences in the pleiotropy of hearing difficulty with imaging-derived phenotypes: a brain-wide investigation. Brain 2024, 147: 3395-3408. PMID: 38454550, PMCID: PMC11449129, DOI: 10.1093/brain/awae077.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchImaging-derived phenotypesHearing difficultiesBrain imaging-derived phenotypesSex-combined analysisLatent causal variable analysesMendelian randomization approachGeneralized linear regression analysisLocal genetic correlation analysisMultivariate generalized linear regression analysisGenome-wide association studiesLatent causal variableGenetic correlation analysisGenetic correlationsLocal genetic correlationMendelian randomizationPeripheral auditory systemOlder adultsGWAS dataLinear regression analysisHealth burdenGenomic regionsAssociation studiesPleiotropic regionsSex differencesTranscriptome regulationSynaptic density patterns in early Alzheimer’s disease assessed by independent component analysis
Fang X, Raval N, O’Dell R, Naganawa M, Mecca A, Chen M, van Dyck C, Carson R. Synaptic density patterns in early Alzheimer’s disease assessed by independent component analysis. Brain Communications 2024, 6: fcae107. PMID: 38601916, PMCID: PMC11004947, DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcae107.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMedial temporal brain regionsAlzheimer's diseaseTemporal brain regionsCognitive deficitsBrain regionsCognitive impairmentPostmortem studiesBinds to SV2ASynaptic densityReduction of synaptic densityIndependent component analysisSynaptic lossAlzheimerDeficitsImpairmentBrainNeocortexComponent analysisPrimary pathologySV2A
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Studying the Adult Brain
HIC ID2000025671RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date07/31/2025Recruiting ParticipantsImaging mGluR5 and synaptic density in psychiatric disorders
HIC ID2000020186RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date01/31/2018Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 80 years
Clinical Care
Overview
Adam Mecca, MD, PhD is a geriatric psychiatrist who specializes in memory disorders including Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, mild cognitive impairment, and other related conditions.
“I enjoy meeting patients and their families and working together to understand the cause of a person's symptoms and finding the best way to help,” Dr. Mecca says. “I value the opportunity to work with patients experiencing changes in their memory and thinking. We discuss the important changes occurring in their life, and work on building supports so that they can continue to thrive in all ways possible.”
An active researcher, Dr. Mecca studies Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders. “It is a very satisfying focus since memory disorders affect so many people. There is an enormous need for effective treatments,” he says. “I am passionate about bringing understanding of a life-altering disease process into awareness. It is vital to educate, provide treatment, and to help patients and families work through what is often a progressive and incurable illness.”
As the associate director of the Yale Alzheimer’s Disease Research Unit, he works with a team to better understand Alzheimer’s disease and develop effective therapies. He and his collaborators are creating neuroimaging methods to investigate the neurobiology of Alzheimer’s disease.
Their efforts have led to a novel positron emission tomography (PET) imaging technique to measure decreases in the number of connections between nerve cells in people with Alzheimer’s disease. This work may accelerate the development of effective treatments.
Clinical Specialties
Geriatric Psychiatry
Fact Sheets
Dementia
Learn More on Yale Medicine
Board Certifications
Geriatric Psychiatry
- Certification Organization
- AB of Psychiatry & Neurology
- Original Certification Date
- 2018
Psychiatry
- Certification Organization
- AB of Psychiatry & Neurology
- Original Certification Date
- 2016
News
News
- March 20, 2023
Six Psychiatry Faculty Recognized by Class of 2023
- January 29, 2023
Symposium Highlights Importance of Biomedical Imaging for Understanding Neurological Disease
- February 20, 2022Source: Yale News
New Imaging Scan Reveals a Culprit in Cognitive Decline of Alzheimer’s
- February 18, 2022Source: YaleNews
New Imaging Scan Reveals a Culprit in Cognitive Decline of Alzheimer’s