Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 14, 2026

Co-analysis of Brain Structure and Function using fMRI and Diffusion-weighted Imaging
17:06

Co-analysis of Brain Structure and Function using fMRI and Diffusion-weighted Imaging

Published on: November 8, 2012

Voxel-wise co-analysis of macro- and microstructural brain alteration in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's

Valerie A Cardenas1, Duygu Tosun, Linda L Chao

  • 1University of California, San Francisco, CA; Veterans Affairs Medical Center, San Francisco, CA.

Journal of Neuroimaging : Official Journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging
|February 21, 2013
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Co-analysis of structural and diffusion tensor MRI reveals additional brain changes in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). This combined approach offers new insights into neurodegeneration mechanisms.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Neurology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are neurodegenerative conditions with complex underlying pathologies.
  • Current neuroimaging techniques often analyze structural and microstructural changes separately.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if combined voxel-wise analysis of structural and diffusion tensor MRI (DT-MRI) identifies more affected brain regions in MCI and AD than individual analyses.
  • To explore the utility of multivariate statistical models in detecting congruent macro- and microstructural variations.

Main Methods:

  • Twenty-one patients with MCI, 21 with AD, and 21 healthy elderly controls underwent MRI.
  • Deformation and fractional anisotropy (FA) maps were generated.
  • Univariate and multivariate statistical models were applied to analyze structural and microstructural data.

Main Results:

  • Voxel-wise analysis revealed expected atrophy and reduced FA in MCI patients in regions like the temporal lobe, parietal/precuneus, and prefrontal cortex.
  • Multivariate analysis, correlating structural and FA measures, identified additional affected regions in the corpus callosum and temporal lobe in MCI.
  • These findings suggest that combined analysis provides a more comprehensive view of brain changes.

Conclusions:

  • Macro- and microstructural variations in the corpus callosum and temporal regions of MCI patients can be congruent.
  • This congruent variation offers potentially new insights into the mechanisms of brain tissue degeneration in MCI and AD.
  • Combined neuroimaging analysis may enhance the detection and understanding of neurodegenerative processes.
Keywords:
MANOVAdeformation morphometryfractional anisotropymultimodality imagingmultivariate statisticsunivariate statistics

More Related Videos

Lesion Explorer: A Video-guided, Standardized Protocol for Accurate and Reliable MRI-derived Volumetrics in Alzheimer's Disease and Normal Elderly12:50

Lesion Explorer: A Video-guided, Standardized Protocol for Accurate and Reliable MRI-derived Volumetrics in Alzheimer's Disease and Normal Elderly

Published on: April 14, 2014

Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases09:33

Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Published on: July 28, 2013

Related Concept Videos

Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology01:23

Alzheimer Disease ll: Pathophysiology

Alzheimer disease involves structural changes in the brain that begin long before symptoms appear. The most distinctive features are extracellular neuritic plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles.Neuritic plaques form in the cerebral cortex and around blood vessels. These plaques contain a dense core of beta-amyloid (Aβ)—a toxic protein fragment that clumps outside neurons. The core is surrounded by damaged neuronal extensions, as well as reactive astrocytes and microglia. Abnormal...
Alzheimer's Disease: Overview01:26

Alzheimer's Disease: Overview

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a continually advancing neurodegenerative disorder, distinguished by escalating memory loss, cognitive dysfunction, and dementia. The disease unfolds in three stages: preclinical, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and dementia. Its onset is insidious, and the progression gradual, with the cause not well explained by other disorders.
The clinical diagnosis of AD hinges on the presence of memory and other cognitive impairments. Biomarkers, such as changes in Aβ and tau...
Dementia l: Introduction01:22

Dementia l: Introduction

Dementia is an acquired, progressive syndrome characterized by a decline in multiple cognitive domains severe enough to impair daily functioning and reduce independence. Although memory loss is a central feature, the diagnosis requires additional deficits involving language, executive function, visuospatial skills, judgment, calculation, or abstract reasoning. These cognitive impairments reflect underlying neurodegenerative or vascular processes that gradually disrupt neuronal networks...
Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction01:29

Alzheimer Disease l: Introduction

Alzheimer disease is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia in older adults. It leads to gradual neuronal loss, causing cognitive decline, behavioral changes, and loss of functional independence.Risk Factors and EtiologyThe disease is multifactorial. Age is the strongest risk factor, with prevalence doubling every 5 years after age 65. Genetic factors include mutations in genes such as APP, PSEN1, and PSEN2, which are associated...