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Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
09:33

Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases

Published on: July 28, 2013

Structural integrity in subjective cognitive decline, mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease based on

Katharina Brueggen1, Martin Dyrba2, Arturo Cardenas-Blanco3

  • 1German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Rostock, Germany. katharina.brueggen@dzne.de.

Journal of Neurology
|June 23, 2019
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) detected subtle white matter changes in subjective cognitive decline (SCD), intermediate between healthy controls and mild cognitive impairment. These DTI findings may help identify individuals at increased risk for Alzheimer's disease.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Neurology
  • Biomedical Engineering

Background:

  • Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) may indicate preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  • Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) shows potential for early AD diagnosis.
  • Previous DTI studies in SCD are limited and yield inconsistent results.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate white matter (WM) microstructural changes in SCD using DTI in a large, multicenter cohort.
  • To assess the diagnostic accuracy of DTI metrics for differentiating SCD from healthy controls.
  • To compare DTI findings in SCD with those in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD.

Main Methods:

  • A multicenter cohort of 271 participants (SCD, MCI, AD, and healthy controls) was recruited.
  • Standardized DTI protocols were used across nine centers.
  • Voxel-based analyses examined fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), and mode (MO) in WM. Cross-validated elastic-net regression determined discrimination accuracy.

Main Results:

  • SCD participants showed lower FA and MO, and higher MD in various anterior and posterior WM regions compared to controls.
  • DTI metrics in SCD were intermediate between MCI/AD and controls.
  • The model accurately discriminated SCD from controls with 67% accuracy (p < 0.01).

Conclusions:

  • DTI reveals subtle white matter alterations in SCD.
  • These microstructural changes are indicative of an early stage of neurodegeneration.
  • DTI may serve as a valuable tool for identifying individuals at higher risk for AD in clinical research settings.
Keywords:
Alzheimer’s diseaseDiagnosisDiffusion tensor imagingMulticenterSubjective cognitive declineWhite matter

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