A Case Series on Longitudinal Hypothalamic Morphology in Mild Cognitive Impairment

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Neurology
• Human Anatomy

Background:

• Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) represents a transitional stage between normal aging and dementia.
• Hypothalamic dysfunction has been implicated in cognitive decline, but longitudinal structural changes are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate longitudinal changes in hypothalamic morphology in females who developed MCI.
• To identify specific hypothalamic subregions affected during the progression of MCI.

Main Methods:

• Utilized multivariable linear modeling to analyze structural volumetric changes in hypothalamic nuclei.
• Compared nine females who developed MCI over five years with 61 healthy controls.

Main Results:

• Significantly decreased volumes were observed in the left anterior-inferior (p < 0.01) and left posterior (p < 0.01) hypothalamic regions in females with MCI.
• A significant decrease was also noted in the left anterior-superior (p < 0.05) region.
• Significant leftward asymmetry was detected in the anterior-superior hypothalamus of MCI females compared to controls.

Conclusions:

• Progressive degradation of specific left hypothalamic subregions is associated with the development of MCI.
• Leftward lateralization in hypothalamic morphology may serve as an early indicator of MCI progression.
• These findings highlight the impact of early-stage MCI on hypothalamic structure.