Whole-brain voxel-based morphometry of white matter in mild cognitive impairment

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Neurology
• Brain Anatomy

Background:

• Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a transitional stage between normal aging and dementia.
• Understanding white matter alterations in MCI is crucial for early diagnosis and intervention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze whole-brain white matter changes in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
• To identify specific patterns of white matter reduction in MCI.

Main Methods:

• Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was employed on T1-weighted 3D MRI datasets.
• 14 patients with MCI and 14 healthy controls were studied using a 3T MR system.
• SPM2 software was utilized for white matter volume map analysis.

Main Results:

• Voxel-based morphometry revealed significant white matter reduction in MCI patients.
• Affected areas included bilateral temporal gyrus, right anterior cingulate, bilateral superior/medial frontal gyrus, and right parietal angular gyrus.
• White matter reduction was more pronounced in anterior brain regions compared to posterior regions.

Conclusions:

• Voxel-based morphometry effectively detects whole-brain white matter reduction in MCI.
• The observed distribution of white matter changes aligns with the known pathology of MCI.