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Mini-mental state examination is sensitive to brain atrophy in Alzheimer's disease

A M Fjell1, I K Amlien, L T Westlye

  • 1Center for the Study of Human Cognition, Department of Psychology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. andersmf@psykologi.uio.no

Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders
|September 30, 2009
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) detects brain volume changes in Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study shows MMSE scores correlate with brain atrophy, aiding early AD detection.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Neurology
  • Alzheimer's Disease Research

Background:

  • The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is a key screening tool for early Alzheimer's disease (AD) detection.
  • Macrostructural brain volume differences are potential indicators of AD progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between MMSE scores and macrostructural brain volume in individuals with mild to moderate AD.
  • To determine if brain volume variations identified through neuroimaging correlate with cognitive assessments.

Main Methods:

  • The study involved 96 patients diagnosed with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease.
  • Cortical thickness and the volume of 19 distinct brain structures were analyzed.
  • A comparison group of 93 healthy elderly individuals was included.

Main Results:

  • Significant correlations were observed between MMSE scores and the volume of the total brain, cerebral cortex, accumbens, cerebral white matter, inferior lateral ventricles, and hippocampus.
  • Forty-one percent of the brain's surface exhibited positive correlations with cortical thickness.
  • A substantial 58% of the cortical surface area was found to be significantly thinner in AD patients compared to controls.

Conclusions:

  • The MMSE demonstrates sensitivity to macrostructural brain atrophy characteristic of Alzheimer's disease.
  • MMSE scores reflect morphometric variations in the brain, some of which may not be exclusively linked to AD pathology.

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