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Atrophy rates accelerate in amnestic mild cognitive impairment
C R Jack1, S D Weigand, M M Shiung
1Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic and Foundation, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. jack.clifford@mayo.edu
Neurology
|November 23, 2007
Summary
Brain atrophy accelerates as amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) progresses to Alzheimer disease (AD). Younger individuals with aMCI show faster atrophy rates than older individuals, regardless of progression to AD.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Investigating accelerated brain atrophy in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) progression to Alzheimer disease (AD).
- Comparing aMCI patients who progressed to AD (aMCI-P) with those who did not (aMCI-S) and cognitively normal (CN) elderly subjects.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if brain atrophy rates accelerate during the transition from aMCI to AD.
- To compare atrophy rates across different clinical groups and age ranges.
Main Methods:
- Utilized serial MRI scans (three or more) from 46 aMCI-P, 46 CN, and 23 aMCI-S subjects.
- Measured rates of brain shrinkage and ventricular expansion.
- Modeled volume changes relative to the AD diagnosis index date for aMCI-P and relative to age for all groups.
Main Results:
- Ventricular expansion accelerated by 1.7 cm³/year and brain shrinkage by 5.3 cm³/year in aMCI-P.
- All groups exhibited brain volume decline and ventricular expansion with age; changes decelerated with age in aMCI-P and aMCI-S, but were linear in CN.
- Apolipoprotein E ε4 carriers with aMCI had greater atrophy rates than noncarriers.
Conclusions:
- Brain atrophy rates accelerate during the progression from aMCI to typical late-onset AD.
- Higher atrophy rates were observed in younger individuals with aMCI, irrespective of progression to AD.
- No age-related variation in atrophy rates was found in cognitively normal individuals aged 70-90.
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