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. 2017 Feb 22:9:34.
doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2017.00034. eCollection 2017.

Neuroanatomical and Neuropsychological Markers of Amnestic MCI: A Three-Year Longitudinal Study in Individuals Unaware of Cognitive Decline

Katharina S Goerlich  1 , Mikhail Votinov  2 , Ellen Dicks  3 , Sinika Ellendt  1 , Gábor Csukly  4 , Ute Habel  5
Affiliations

Neuroanatomical and Neuropsychological Markers of Amnestic MCI: A Three-Year Longitudinal Study in Individuals Unaware of Cognitive Decline

Katharina S Goerlich et al. Front Aging Neurosci. .

Abstract

Structural brain changes underlying mild cognitive impairment (MCI) have been well-researched, but most previous studies required subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) as a diagnostic criterion, diagnosed MCI based on a single screening test or lacked analyses in relation to neuropsychological impairment. This longitudinal voxel-based morphometry study aimed to overcome these limitations: The relationship between regional gray matter (GM) atrophy and behavioral performance was investigated over the course of 3 years in individuals unaware of cognitive decline, identified as amnestic MCI based on an extensive neuropsychological test battery. Region of interest analyses revealed GM atrophy in the left amygdala, hippocampus, and parahippocampus in MCI individuals compared to normally aging participants, which was specifically related to verbal memory impairment and evident already at the first measurement point. These findings demonstrate that GM atrophy is detectable in individuals with amnestic MCI despite unawareness of beginning cognitive decline. Thus, individuals with GM atrophy in regions associated with verbal memory impairment do not necessarily need to experience SCC before meeting neuropsychological criteria for MCI. These results have important implications for future research and diagnostic procedures of MCI.

Keywords: amygdala; gray matter atrophy; hippocampus; longitudinal; mild cognitive impairment; subjective cognitive complaints; voxel-based morphometry.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
(A) Decline of region of interest (ROI) gray matter (GM) volume in the HC and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) group. (B) Whole-brain analysis: GM volume reduction in the amygdala and hippocampus (MCI > HC).
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Region of interest GM volume decrease across age in MCI and HC participants at T1.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Partial correlations controlling for age, gender, education, and TIV between CERAD total immediate recall performance and ROI GM volume in the MCI and HC group across 3 years (Holm–Bonferroni corrected p < 0.006). (A) Left amygdala, (B) Left hippocampus, (C) Left parahippocampus.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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