Abstract
Structural brain changes precede cognitive and clinical symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We aimed to examine the gray and white matter tissue changes in individuals with memory decline over a 12-year period, who might be at risk for AD. The participants were selected from the longitudinal Maastricht Aging Study based on their scores on the verbal word learning task. A group with profound memory decline over a 12-year period (n = 20) was identified and matched with a group that did not meet this criterion (n = 20). All of the participants underwent MRI scanning. Diffusion tensor imaging and cortical thickness analyses were performed to investigate the white and gray matter differences respectively. We found decreased white matter integrity in the memory decline group compared to the control group in frontal and parietal brain regions and in several cortico-cortical and cortico-subcortical tracts. Cortical thinning in the memory decline group was found in frontal, parietal, medial temporal and occipital areas. These results showed similarities with the structural brain changes observed in early AD. Thus, not only may cognitive changes be detected years before the clinical diagnosis, but typical gray and white matter changes appear to be present in older people with memory decline as well. This suggests that a combination of cognitive decline and structural brain changes might be an ideal biomarker for AD pathogenesis.
Keywords: Cortical thickness; diffusion tensor imaging; memory decline; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; preclinical Alzheimer’s disease; early detection, cingulum hippocampus.
Current Alzheimer Research
Title:Patterns of Gray and White Matter Changes in Individuals at Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease
Volume: 9 Issue: 9
Author(s): Heidi I.L. Jacobs, Martin P.J. van Boxtel, Ed H.B.M. Gronenschild, Victoria J. Williams, Saartje Burgmans, Harry B.M. Uylings, Jelle Jolles and Frans R.J. Verhey
Affiliation:
Keywords: Cortical thickness; diffusion tensor imaging; memory decline; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; preclinical Alzheimer’s disease; early detection, cingulum hippocampus.
Abstract: Structural brain changes precede cognitive and clinical symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We aimed to examine the gray and white matter tissue changes in individuals with memory decline over a 12-year period, who might be at risk for AD. The participants were selected from the longitudinal Maastricht Aging Study based on their scores on the verbal word learning task. A group with profound memory decline over a 12-year period (n = 20) was identified and matched with a group that did not meet this criterion (n = 20). All of the participants underwent MRI scanning. Diffusion tensor imaging and cortical thickness analyses were performed to investigate the white and gray matter differences respectively. We found decreased white matter integrity in the memory decline group compared to the control group in frontal and parietal brain regions and in several cortico-cortical and cortico-subcortical tracts. Cortical thinning in the memory decline group was found in frontal, parietal, medial temporal and occipital areas. These results showed similarities with the structural brain changes observed in early AD. Thus, not only may cognitive changes be detected years before the clinical diagnosis, but typical gray and white matter changes appear to be present in older people with memory decline as well. This suggests that a combination of cognitive decline and structural brain changes might be an ideal biomarker for AD pathogenesis.
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Cite this article as:
I.L. Jacobs Heidi, P.J. van Boxtel Martin, H.B.M. Gronenschild Ed, J. Williams Victoria, Burgmans Saartje, B.M. Uylings Harry, Jolles Jelle and R.J. Verhey Frans, Patterns of Gray and White Matter Changes in Individuals at Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease, Current Alzheimer Research 2012; 9 (9) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/156720512803568993
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/156720512803568993 |
Print ISSN 1567-2050 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-5828 |
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