Adam Mecca, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of PsychiatryCards
About
Research
Publications
2026
Optimized reference region and the effect on test-retest reliability and sensitivity to differences between Parkinson’s disease and control groups with [11C]UCB-J
Khattar N, Matuskey D, Gallezot J, Naganawa M, Holmes S, Sadabad F, Mayeli M, Esterlis I, van Dyck C, Mecca A, D’Souza D, Nabulsi N, Finnema S, Huang Y, Carson R, Toyonaga T. Optimized reference region and the effect on test-retest reliability and sensitivity to differences between Parkinson’s disease and control groups with [11C]UCB-J. Journal Of Cerebral Blood Flow And Metabolism : Official Journal Of The International Society Of Cerebral Blood Flow And Metabolism 2026, 0271678x261441071. PMID: 41960765, PMCID: PMC13068773, DOI: 10.1177/0271678x261441071.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchSynaptic density imaging in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia: A comparison of 18F‐SynVesT‐1 and 18F‐FDG PET
Fesharaki‐Zadeh A, Cayir S, Ibrahim W, Yang Y, Gallezot J, Naganawa M, Wu Y, Toyonaga T, Sadabad F, O'Dell R, Pittman B, Nabulsi N, Strittmatter S, Carson R, Huang Y, van Dyck C, Mecca A, Matuskey D. Synaptic density imaging in behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia: A comparison of 18F‐SynVesT‐1 and 18F‐FDG PET. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2026, 22: e71283. PMID: 41954197, PMCID: PMC13063251, DOI: 10.1002/alz.71283.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsF-FDG positron emission tomographyPositron emission tomographyF-FDGSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2ABehavioral variant frontotemporal dementiaGlucose metabolismClinical standardsDegree of hypometabolismSV2A bindingSV2A positron emission tomographyDiagnostic accuracyHealthy controlsIn vivo biomarkersFrontal Assessment Battery scoresBehavioral variant frontotemporal dementia patientsSV2A imagingEmission tomographySynaptic densityFrontal cortexFrontotemporal dementiaIn vivoAnterior cingulateDisease monitoringSV2APatientsHearing Aid Use and Verbal Fluency as a Measure of Cognitive Function: A Cross-Sectional Study Using SHARE Data
Swamy MR, Mecca A. Hearing Aid Use and Verbal Fluency as a Measure of Cognitive Function: A Cross-Sectional Study Using SHARE Data. Innovation In Aging 2026, 9: igaf122.3408. DOI: 10.1093/geroni/igaf122.3408.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2025
Coupling between global gray matter BOLD activity and CSF movement is associated with Aβ and tau burden in preclinical Alzheimer's disease
Cho G, O'Dell R, Liu X, Benveniste H, Kay D, van Dyck C, Miner B, Mecca A. Coupling between global gray matter BOLD activity and CSF movement is associated with Aβ and tau burden in preclinical Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2025, 21: e106025. PMCID: PMC12738060, DOI: 10.1002/alz70855_106025.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAlzheimer's diseaseCoupling strengthGray matter activityAnti-correlationGray matter maskingAssociated with tauBraak stages 1Resting-state fMRIAPOE4 carriersBOLD fMRICouplingATN frameworkResting-state BOLD fMRISynaptic densityTauTight temporal couplingTau burdenBraak stageATNCross-correlationDensityBOLD activityBraakRsfMRI scansPreclinical ADBlunted Microglial Reactivity to Lipopolysaccharide in Alzheimer's Disease: A Novel Insight into Neuroimmune Dysfunction
Salardini A, Hashemi‐Aghdam A, O'Dell R, Hillmer A, Camacho D, Van Dyck K, Nelsen K, Ruan A, Lam J, Strittmatter S, Cosgrove K, van Dyck C, Mecca A. Blunted Microglial Reactivity to Lipopolysaccharide in Alzheimer's Disease: A Novel Insight into Neuroimmune Dysfunction. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2025, 21: e106912. PMCID: PMC12739350, DOI: 10.1002/alz70855_106912.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAlzheimer's diseasePositron emission tomographyResponse to LPSNeuroimmune dysfunctionTranslocator proteinMicroglial activationFunction in vivoEfficacy of anti-inflammatory therapyPost-LPS administrationClinical adverse effectsAnti-inflammatory therapyDiagnostic statusReactivity to lipopolysaccharideAssociation of Neighborhood‐Level Disadvantage with Antemortem MRI Brain Volumes in a Multi‐site Brain Bank Donor Cohort
Hammond A, Navaratna R, Moody J, DeWitt A, Alosco M, Atri A, Bakulski K, Beach T, Brewer J, Carrion C, Chodosh J, Fabio A, Farias S, Henderson V, Kofler J, Langbaum J, Lepping R, Lingler J, Mahnken J, Marsh K, Mecca A, Meyer O, Morris J, Neugroschl J, O'Connor M, Paulson H, Reiman E, Espinoza P, Sano M, Saykin A, Shaaban C, Sultzer D, Whitmer R, Wisniewski T, Zhu C, Buckingham W, Powell W, Kind A, Betthauser T, Bendlin B. Association of Neighborhood‐Level Disadvantage with Antemortem MRI Brain Volumes in a Multi‐site Brain Bank Donor Cohort. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2025, 21: e108929. PMCID: PMC12725971, DOI: 10.1002/alz70861_108929.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchArea Deprivation IndexADI percentilesDementia-related brain changesAlzheimer's Disease Research CenterNational Alzheimer's Coordinating CenterHigher neighborhood disadvantageCoordinating CenterEstimated marginal meansTotal brain volumeDementia statusDeprivation indexNo-dementiaCognitively unimpaired individualsSocioeconomic disadvantageNeighborhood disadvantageLinear mixed-effects modelsSocioeconomic representationRandom interceptDementiaDisadvantaged individualsMixed-effects modelsUnimpaired individualsDeath yearDisadvantaged groupsMRI-derived brain volumeHeterogeneous tau patterns in atypical AD are explained by connectivity‐associated tau progression
de Bruin H, Groot C, Initiative A, Barthel H, Bischof G, Blazhenets G, Boellaard R, Boon B, Brendel M, Cash D, Coath W, Day G, Dickerson B, Doering E, Drzezga A, van Dyck C, van Eimeren T, van der Flier W, Fredericks C, Fryer T, van de Giessen E, Gordon B, Radford J, Grinberg L, Hansson O, Hobbs D, Höglinger G, Hönig M, Irwin D, Jones P, Josephs K, Katsumi Y, La Joie R, Lee E, Levin J, Malpetti M, McGinnis S, Mecca A, Mohanty R, Nasrallah I, O'Brien J, O'Dell R, Palleis C, Perneczky R, Phillips J, Putcha D, Rabinovici G, Rahmouni N, Rosa‐Neto P, Rowe J, Rullmann M, Sabri O, Saur D, Schildan A, Schott J, Schroeter M, Seeley W, Servaes S, Sintini I, Smith R, Spina S, Stevenson J, Stomrud E, Strandberg O, Therriault J, Tideman P, Touroutoglou A, Trainer A, Visser D, Wekselman F, Weston P, Whitwell J, Wolk D, Yong K, Pijnenburg Y, Franzmeier N, Ossenkoppele R. Heterogeneous tau patterns in atypical AD are explained by connectivity‐associated tau progression. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2025, 21: e104871. PMCID: PMC12779272, DOI: 10.1002/alz70856_104871.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFunctional connectivityTau-PETBrain regionsAtypical ADTau patternsClinical manifestation of Alzheimer's diseaseTau PET levelsLongitudinal tau-PETAlzheimer's diseaseManifestation of Alzheimer's diseaseTau pathologyTau progressionProgression of tau pathologyAssociated with cross-sectionalAtypical AD patientsTau PET dataTemporal predominanceConnectivity profilesAD variantsCognitive declineAD patientsTau propagationTau proteinopathyPosterior patterningTau distributionThe Neighborhoods Study: Examining the social exposome in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias
George G, Keller S, Abner E, Adar S, Alosco M, Apostolova L, Bakulski K, Barnes L, Bateman J, Batterman S, Beach T, Bendlin B, Bennett D, Betthauser T, Brewer J, Buckingham W, Carrión C, Chodosh J, Craft S, Croff R, Fabio A, Farias S, Feldman E, Goldstein F, Goutman S, Green‐Harris G, Henderson V, Karikari T, Kofler J, Kucharska‐Newton A, Lamar M, Lanata S, Lepping R, Lingler J, Lockhart S, Mahnken J, Marsh K, Mathew J, Mecca A, Meyer O, Miller B, Morris J, Neugroschl J, O'Connor M, Paulson H, Perrin R, Pettigrew C, Pierce A, Powell W, Pyarajan S, Raji C, Reiman E, Risacher S, Rissman R, Espinosa P, Sano M, Saykin A, Serrano G, Singh V, Soldan A, Sultzer D, van Dyck C, Whitmer R, Wisniewski T, Woltjer R, Yu M, Zhu C, Kind A. The Neighborhoods Study: Examining the social exposome in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. Alzheimer's & Dementia 2025, 21: e70810. PMID: 41230793, PMCID: PMC12613078, DOI: 10.1002/alz.70810.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAlzheimer's Disease Research CenterSocial exposomeArea Deprivation IndexNeighborhood studiesBrain healthNational Alzheimer's Coordinating CenterAdverse social exposuresDementia riskDeprivation indexADRDHealth measuresExposome factorsAlzheimer's diseaseDementiaStudy findingsExposomeSocial exposureCoordinating CenterCognitive functionHealthData collectionPreliminary findingsResearch CenterAlzheimerRiskMultimodal Imaging of White Matter Tract Integrity and Synaptic Density in Alzheimer’s Disease
Salardini E, O’Dell R, van Dyck C, Mecca A. Multimodal Imaging of White Matter Tract Integrity and Synaptic Density in Alzheimer’s Disease. American Journal Of Geriatric Psychiatry 2025, 33: s100. DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2025.04.146.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchWhite matter integrityWhite matter tract integrityDiffusion tensor imagingPositron emission tomographySynaptic densityCN participantsTract integrityFractional anisotropyRight UFUncinate fasciculusMean diffusivityCross-sectionPathological correlate of cognitive impairmentAlzheimer's diseaseCorrelates of cognitive impairmentWhite matter integrity changesFA differencesMarkers of white matter integrityRight uncinate fasciculusMeasure synaptic densityDiffusion tensor imaging measuresAmyloid-positive participantsSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2ASynaptic lossHippocampal synaptic densityConnectivity as a universal predictor of tau progression in atypical Alzheimer’s disease
de Bruin H, Groot C, Barthel H, Bischof G, Blazhenets G, Boellaard R, Boon B, Brendel M, Cash D, Coath W, Day G, Dickerson B, Doering E, Drzezga A, van Dyck C, van Eimeren T, van der Flier W, Fredericks C, Fryer T, van de Giessen E, Gordon B, Graff-Radford J, Grinberg L, Hansson O, Hobbs D, Hoenig M, Höglinger G, Irwin D, Jones P, Josephs K, Katsumi Y, La Joie R, Lee E, Levin J, Malpetti M, McGinnis S, Mecca A, Mohanty R, Nasrallah I, O'Brien J, O'Dell R, Palleis C, Perneczky R, Phillips J, Putcha D, Rabinovici G, Rahmouni N, Rosa-Neto P, Rowe J, Rullmann M, Sabri O, Saur D, Schildan A, Schott J, Schroeter M, Seeley W, Servaes S, Sintini I, Smith R, Spina S, Stevenson J, Stomrud E, Strandberg O, Therriault J, Tideman P, Touroutoglou A, Trainer A, Visser D, Wekselman F, Weston P, Whitwell J, Wolk D, Yong K, Pijnenburg Y, Franzmeier N, Ossenkoppele R. Connectivity as a universal predictor of tau progression in atypical Alzheimer’s disease. Brain 2025, 148: 3893-3912. PMID: 40810361, PMCID: PMC12588720, DOI: 10.1093/brain/awaf279.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchTau PET levelsTau pathologyTau progressionAlzheimer's diseaseTau patternsProgression of tau pathologyTau-PETFunctional connectivityLongitudinal tau-PETAlzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging InitiativeTau PET dataTau propagationTau proteinopathyClinical manifestation of Alzheimer's diseaseDisease variantsAtypical AD patientsTau distributionTau stainingFMRI-based functional connectivityFunctional connectivity profilesAtypical Alzheimer's diseaseManifestation of Alzheimer's diseaseSpatial heterogeneityTau PET tracersHealthy elderly controls
Clinical Trials
Current Trials
Studying the Adult Brain
IRB ID2000025671RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date07/31/2025Recruiting ParticipantsImaging mGluR5 and synaptic density in psychiatric disorders
IRB ID2000020186RoleSub InvestigatorPrimary Completion Date01/31/2018Recruiting ParticipantsGenderBothAge18 years - 80 years
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
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
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