Prof. Dr. Michael Ewers

Research focus:

We are interested in the detection of brain changes that precede the manifestation of dementia symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease. A first major focus is the detection of protective brain mechanisms that delay the onset of cognitive impairment. Another topic of our research is the development of markers for the early detection of AD. We primarily employ fMRI and DTI-based analysis of functional networks along with biochemical analysis of cerebrospinal fluid markers.

Key words: Functional MRI, connectomics, Alzheimer's Disease, DTI, Biomarker

Graduated GSN students: Dr. Nikolai Franzmeier, Dr. Lee Simon-Vermot

Selected publications:

Franzmeier M, Duering M, Weiner M, Dichgans, M, Ewers M. Functional connectivity of the left frontal cortex underlies cognitive reserve in Alzheimer's disease. Neurology (in press).

Suarez-Calvet M, Araque Caballero MA, Kleinberger G, Bateman R, Fagan A, Morris JC, Levin J, Danek A, Ewers M*, Haass C*. Early changes of CSF sTREM2 in Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer's Disease follow marker markers of amlyoid deposition and neuronal injury. Science Translational Medicine (in press). *contributed equally to the work

Taylor ANW, Kambeitz-Ilankovic L, Gesierich B, Simon-Vermot L, Araque Caballero MA, Müller S, Hesheng L, Ertl-Wagner B, Bürger K, Weiner MW, Dichgans M, Duering M, Ewers M. (2016)Tract-specific white matter hyperintensities disrupt neural network function in Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers & Dementia (Epub ahead of print, PubMed ID: 27432800)

Ewers M, Insel P, Stern Y and Weiner M. (2013) Cognitive Reserve Associated with FDG-PET in Preclinical Alzheimer´s Disease. Neurology 80(13):1194-201

Ewers M, Walsh C, Trojanowski JQ, Shaw LM, Petersen RC, Jack CR Jr, Feldman HH, Bokde AL, Alexander GE, Scheltens P, Vellas B, Dubois B, Weiner M, Hampel H and North American Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). (2012) Prediction of conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer'sdiseasedementia based upon biomarkers and neuropsychological test performance. Neurobiology of Aging 33(7): 1203-14.

Ewers M, Insel P, Jagust WJ, Shaw L, Trojanowki JQ, Aisen P, Petersen RC, Schuff N, Weiner MW and the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. (2012) CSF Biomarker and PIB-PET Derived Beta-Amyloid Signature PredictsMetabolic, Grey Matter and Cognitive Changes in Non-Demented Subjects. Cerebral Cortex 22(9): 1993-2004.

Teipel SJ, Wegrzyn M, Meindl T, Frisoni G, Bokde AL, Fellgiebel A, Filippi M, Hampel H, Klöppel S, Hauenstein K and Ewers M. (2012) Anatomical MRIandDTI in the Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease: A European Multicenter Study. Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. (Epub ahead of print)

Ewers M, Sperling RA, Klunk W, Weiner MW and Hampel H. (2011) Neuroimaging markersfor the Prediction and Diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. Trends in Neurosciences 34: 430-442.