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Comparative Study
. 2008 Sep 9;71(11):819-25.
doi: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000320055.57329.34. Epub 2008 Jul 30.

MRI measures of temporoparietal regions show differential rates of atrophy during prodromal AD

R S Desikan  1 , B Fischl, H J Cabral, T L Kemper, C R G Guttmann, D Blacker, B T Hyman, M S Albert, R J Killiany
Affiliations
Comparative Study

MRI measures of temporoparietal regions show differential rates of atrophy during prodromal AD

R S Desikan et al. Neurology. .

Abstract

Background: MRI studies have demonstrated differential rates of atrophy in the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus during the prodromal phase of Alzheimer disease (AD). The current study was designed to determine whether a broader set of temporoparietal regions show differential rates of atrophy during the evolution of AD.

Methods: Sixteen regions of interest (ROIs) were analyzed on MRI scans obtained at baseline and follow-up in 66 subjects comprising three groups: controls = individuals who were cognitively normal at both baseline and follow-up; nonconverters = subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) at both baseline and follow-up; converters had MCI at baseline but had progressed to AD at follow-up.

Results: Annualized percent change was analyzed with multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), covaried for age. The MANOVA demonstrated an effect of group (p = 0.004). Post hoc comparisons demonstrated greater rates of atrophy for converters vs nonconverters for six ROIs: hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, temporal pole, middle temporal gyrus, fusiform gyrus, and inferior temporal gyrus. Converters showed differentially greater rates of atrophy than controls in five of the same ROIs (and inferior parietal lobule). Rates of change in clinical status were correlated with the atrophy rates in these regions. Comparisons between controls and nonconverters demonstrated no differences.

Conclusion: These results demonstrate that temporoparietal regions show differential rates of atrophy on MRI during prodromal Alzheimer disease (AD). MRI data correlate with measures of clinical severity and cognitive decline, suggesting the potential of these regions of interest as antemortem markers of prodromal AD.

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Figures

None
Figure Sagittal reconstructions of one MRI scan at the level of the medial temporal lobe where the temporal pole, entorhinal cortex, and hippocampus are evident Lower left panel shows more selectively the regions of interest with the brain/tissue boundaries traced. Lower right panel shows the tracing with the structures of interest labeled. Hipp = hippocampus; Ent = entorhinal cortex; Temp Pole = temporal pole.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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