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Six-month atrophy in MTL structures is associated with subsequent memory decline in elderly controls
E A Murphy1, D Holland, M Donohue
1Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA.
Neuroimage
|July 17, 2010
Summary
Subtle brain changes in healthy older adults can predict future memory loss. Six-month imaging detects neurodegeneration, identifying individuals at risk for cognitive decline.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Neurodegeneration is an early indicator of dementia, preceding clinical symptoms by years.
- Volumetric imaging techniques enable the detection of subtle neuroanatomical changes over short intervals.
- Identifying early markers of neurodegeneration in healthy aging is crucial for predicting cognitive decline.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between neuroanatomical changes in medial temporal lobe subregions and subsequent memory decline in healthy elderly individuals.
- To determine if short-term (six-month) neuroanatomical changes can predict long-term cognitive decline.
Main Methods:
- Utilized high-resolution, T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort.
- Measured changes in cortical thickness and subcortical volumes in 142 healthy elderly subjects (aged 59-90 years) over a six-month period.
- Employed regression analysis to correlate regional neuroanatomical changes with memory test performance decline over two years.
Main Results:
- Significant predictors of subsequent memory decline included percent thickness change in the right fusiform and inferior temporal cortices.
- Expansion of the right inferior lateral ventricle also significantly predicted memory decline.
- These findings demonstrate that regional neurodegeneration over six months is quantifiable in healthy elderly individuals.
Conclusions:
- Six-month changes in specific brain regions can be quantified in healthy older adults.
- Early neuroanatomical changes may serve as a biomarker for identifying individuals at risk of future cognitive decline.
- This approach could aid in the early identification of individuals susceptible to memory decline and dementia.
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