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Cognition-related white matter integrity dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease with diffusion tensor image
Youjun Li1, Feng Feng2, Pan Lin3
1The Key Laboratory of Biomedical Information Engineering of Ministry of Education, and Institute of Biomedical Engineering, School of Life Science and Technology, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049, China; National Engineering Research Center of Health Care and Medical Devices, Xi'an Jiaotong University Branch, Xi'an, 710049, China.
Brain Research Bulletin
|September 22, 2018
Summary
Alzheimer's disease impairs white matter tracts crucial for cognition. Reduced white matter integrity in Alzheimer's patients correlates with cognitive decline, aiding in disease diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurodegenerative Diseases
- White Matter Integrity
Background:
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting the elderly worldwide.
- Previous research suggests AD impacts white matter (WM) tracts, which are linked to cognitive function.
- The precise relationship between WM abnormalities in AD and cognitive decline remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between white matter tract impairments and cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease.
- To explore the diagnostic potential of white matter integrity metrics in distinguishing AD patients from healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) data were acquired from 38 AD patients and 30 healthy controls (NC).
- Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS) was employed to analyze fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) values in cognition-related WM tracts.
- Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification was used to assess the diagnostic accuracy of WM metrics.
Main Results:
- Significantly decreased FA and increased MD values were observed in cognition-related WM tracts (cingulum, SLF, UF, ILF) in the AD group compared to the NC group.
- These WM integrity changes (decreased FA, increased MD) were significantly correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores.
- SVM classification using cognition-related WM tracts achieved higher accuracy in discriminating AD from NC than non-cognition-related tracts.
Conclusions:
- Alzheimer's disease is associated with widespread abnormalities in white matter integrity, particularly in tracts vital for cognitive function.
- Impaired white matter integrity in AD patients directly correlates with the severity of cognitive deficits.
- White matter integrity metrics derived from DTI show promise as reliable biomarkers for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease.