Past research has shown that 30 to 50 percent of individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) will develop Alzheimer's. Now, Duke University researchers have discovered a new brain pattern that could help identify which patients with MCI are most at risk for developing Alzheimer's. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers monitored memory-related brain activity of people with MCI. The fMRI results helped predict which patients would develop Alzheimer's over time. In the future, these brain scans, when combined with other tests, could help doctors diagnose the disease with greater accuracy.