Relation between subcortical grey matter atrophy and conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease.
To investigate whether subcortical grey matter atrophy predicts progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer's disease (AD), and to compare subcortical volumes between AD, MCI and controls. To assess the correlation between subcortical grey matter volumes and severity of cognitive impairment.
We included 773 participants with three-dimensional T1-weighted MRI at 3 T, made up of 181 controls, who had subjective memory symptoms with normal cognition, 201 MCIs and 391 AD. During follow-up (2.0 ± 0.9 years), 35 MCIs converted to AD (progressive MCI) and 160 MCIs remained stable (stable MCI). We segmented volumes of six subcortical structures of the amygdala, thalamus, caudate nucleus, putamen, globus pallidus and nucleus accumbens, and of the hippocampus, using FMRIBs integrated registration and segmentation tool.
Analysis of variances, adjusted for sex and age, showed that all structures, except the globus pallidus, were smaller in AD than in controls. In addition, the amygdala, thalamus, putamen, nucleus accumbens and hippocampus were smaller in MCIs than in controls. Across groups, all subcortical greymatter volumes, except the globus pallidus, showed a positive correlation with cognitive function, as measured by Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) (0.16<r<0.28, all p<0.05). Cox proportional hazards analyses adjusted for age, sex, education, Cambridge Cognitive Examination-Revised (CAMCOG-R) and MMSE showed that smaller volumes of the hippocampus and nucleus accumbens were associated with increased risk of progression from MCI to AD (HR (95% CI) 1.60 (1.15 to 2.21); 1.60 (1.09 to 2.35), p<0.05).
In addition to the hippocampus, the nucleus accumbens volume loss was also associated with increased risk of progression from MCI to AD. Furthermore, volume loss of subcortical grey matter structures was associated with severity of cognitive impairment.
Yi HA
,Möller C
,Dieleman N
,Bouwman FH
,Barkhof F
,Scheltens P
,van der Flier WM
,Vrenken H
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White matter disease independently predicts progression from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease in a clinic cohort.
The contribution of vascular pathology to the rate of progression from mild cognitive impairment (MCI) to Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains unclear.
To ascertain the relative roles of cerebral white matter disease and medial temporal atrophy (MTA) in predicting progression from MCI to AD.
MCI patients with baseline MRI and ≥18 months of longitudinal follow-up were evaluated. DSM-IV-TR criteria were used to diagnose conversion to dementia. MTA and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) were quantified using the Scheltens scale and modified Fazekas scale.
Of a total of 171 MCI patients, 79 patients with baseline MRI and longitudinal follow-up were studied. Twenty-three MCI patients who progressed to dementia (MCI-P) were identified corresponding to a 19.4% annual risk of conversion. In MCI-P patients, the mean Mini-Mental State Examination and Montreal Cognitive Assessment decline was 1.3 and 2.9 points, respectively. MTA, periventricular WMH and deep subcortical WMH were significantly greater in the MCI-P cohort. WMH was found to predict MCI-P with an odds ratio of 7.69 (p = 0.03).
MTA and deep subcortical WMH independently predict conversion from MCI to AD. Optimization of vascular risk factors among patients with MCI can potentially reduce the conversion from MCI to AD.
Prasad K
,Wiryasaputra L
,Ng A
,Kandiah N
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Cerebrovascular resistance: effects on cognitive decline, cortical atrophy, and progression to dementia.
See Markus (doi:10.1093/awx161) for a scientific commentary on this article.Evidence for vascular contributions to Alzheimer's disease has been increasingly identified, with increased blood pressure and decreased cerebral blood flow both linked to in vivo biomarkers and clinical progression of Alzheimer's disease. We therefore hypothesized that an elevated ratio of blood pressure to cerebral blood flow, indicative of cerebrovascular resistance, would exhibit earlier and more widespread associations with Alzheimer's disease than cerebral blood flow alone. Further, we predicted that increased cerebrovascular resistance and amyloid retention would synergistically influence cognitive performance trajectories, independent of neuronal metabolism. Lastly, we anticipated associations between cerebrovascular resistance and later brain atrophy, prior to amyloid accumulation. To evaluate these hypotheses, we investigated associations between cerebrovascular resistance and amyloid retention, cognitive decline, and brain atrophy, controlling for neuronal metabolism. North American older adults (n = 232) underwent arterial spin labelling magnetic resonance imaging to measure regional cerebral blood flow in brain regions susceptible to ageing and Alzheimer's disease. An estimated cerebrovascular resistance index was then calculated as the ratio of mean arterial pressure to regional cerebral blood flow. Positron emission tomography with 18F-florbetapir and fludeoxyglucose was used to quantify amyloid retention and neuronal metabolism, respectively. Cognitive performance was evaluated via annual assessments of global cognition, memory, and executive function. Results indicated diminished inferior parietal and temporal cerebral blood flow for patients with Alzheimer's disease (n = 33) relative to both non-demented groups, but no cerebral blood flow differences between non-demented amyloid-positive (n = 87) and amyloid-negative (n = 112) cases. In contrast, the cerebrovascular resistance index was significantly elevated in amyloid-positive versus amyloid-negative cases, with additional elevation in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Furthermore, cerebrovascular resistance index group differences were of greater statistical effect size and encompassed a greater number of brain regions than those for cerebral blood flow alone. Cognitive decline over 2-year follow-up was accelerated by elevated baseline cerebrovascular resistance index, particularly for amyloid-positive individuals. Increased baseline cerebrovascular resistance index also predicted greater progression to dementia, beyond that attributable to amyloid-positivity. Finally, increased cerebrovascular resistance index predicted greater regional atrophy among non-demented older adults who were amyloid-negative. Findings suggest that increased cerebrovascular resistance may represent a previously unrecognized contributor to Alzheimer's disease that is independent of neuronal hypometabolism, predates changes in brain perfusion, exacerbates and works synergistically with amyloidosis to produce cognitive decline, and drives amyloid-independent brain atrophy during the earliest stage of disease.
Yew B
,Nation DA
,Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
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