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Whole-brain Segmentation and Change-point Analysis of Anatomical Brain MRI—Application in Premanifest Huntington's Disease
Published on: June 9, 2018
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Executive functions in premanifest Huntington's disease
S Christine You1, Michael D Geschwind, Sharon J Sha
1Department of Neurology, Memory and Aging Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA.
Movement Disorders : Official Journal of the Movement Disorder Society
|December 31, 2013
Summary
Executive function tests, including working memory, show promise as early markers for premanifest Huntington's disease (HD). These cognitive measures correlate with disease progression indicators like striatal volume and disease burden.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Genetics
Background:
- Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder.
- Early detection of cognitive changes in premanifest HD is crucial.
- Executive function deficits may precede motor symptoms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate executive function tests as potential biomarkers for premanifest HD.
- To assess the sensitivity of specific cognitive domains to early disease processes.
Main Methods:
- Comparison of 15 premanifest HD subjects and 42 controls using the NIH EXAMINER executive function battery.
- Assessment of executive composite, working memory, cognitive control, and fluency scores.
- Correlation of cognitive scores with disease burden and striatal volumes in premanifest HD.
Main Results:
- Premanifest HD subjects exhibited significantly lower working memory scores.
- Executive composite scores positively correlated with striatal volumes.
- Working memory scores negatively correlated with disease burden.
- Cognitive control and fluency scores showed no significant group differences or correlations.
Conclusions:
- The NIH EXAMINER executive composite and working memory scores are sensitive indicators of cognitive dysfunction in premanifest HD.
- These cognitive measures reflect underlying neuropathology, including striatal volume and disease burden.
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