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. 2022 Jul 15:14:919859.
doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2022.919859. eCollection 2022.

Convergent functional changes of the episodic memory impairment in mild cognitive impairment: An ALE meta-analysis

Xuhong Liang  1 , Qianqian Yuan  1 , Chen Xue  1 , Wenzhang Qi  1 , Honglin Ge  2 , Zheng Yan  2 , Shanshan Chen  3 , Yu Song  3 , Huimin Wu  3 , Chaoyong Xiao  1   2 , Jiu Chen  2   4
Affiliations

Convergent functional changes of the episodic memory impairment in mild cognitive impairment: An ALE meta-analysis

Xuhong Liang et al. Front Aging Neurosci. .

Abstract

Background: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered to be an intermediate stage between normal aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD). The earliest and most common symptom of MCI is impaired episodic memory. When episodic memory is impaired in MCI patients, specific functional changes occur in related brain areas. However, there is currently a lack of a unified conclusion on this change. Therefore, the purpose of this meta-analysis is to find MRI-specific functional changes in episodic memory in MCI patients.

Methods: Based on three commonly used indicators of brain function: functional connectivity (FC), the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation /fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF/fALFF), and regional homogeneity (ReHo), we systematically searched PubMed, Web of Science and Ovid related literature and conducted the strict screening. Then we use the activation likelihood estimation (ALE) algorithm to perform the coordinate-based meta-analysis.

Results: Through strict screening, this meta-analysis finally included 21 related functional neuroimaging research articles. The final result displays that functional changes of episodic memory in MCI patients are mainly located in the parahippocampal gyrus, precuneus, posterior cingulate gyrus, cuneus, middle temporal gyrus, middle frontal gyrus, lingual gyrus, and thalamus.

Conclusions: There are specific functional changes in episodic memory brain regions in MCI patients, and the brain functional network can regulate episodic memory through these brain regions. And these specific changes can assist in the early diagnosis of MCI, providing new ideas and directions for early identification and intervention in the process of MCI.

Keywords: activation likelihood estimation; episodic memory; functional connectivity; mild cognitive impairment; regional homogeneity; resting state; the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow of information through different phases of a systematical review.
Figure 2
Figure 2
(A) Brain regions showing increased FC in MCI patients compared to HCs. (B) Brain regions showing decreased FC in MCI patients compared to HCs. MCI, amnestic mild cognitive impairment; HCs, healthy controls; FC, functional connectivity; MOG, middle occipital gyrus; CUN, cuneus; PCC, posterior cingulate; PCUN, precuneus; PHG, parahippocampal gyrus; R, right; L, left.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(A) Brain regions showing increased ALFF in MCI patients compared to HCs. (B) Brain regions showing decreased ALFF in MCI patients compared to HCs. MCI, amnestic mild cognitive impairment; HCs, healthy controls; ALFF, the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation; SFG, superior frontal gyrus; MFG, middle frontal gyrus; MTG, middle temporal gyrus; R, right; L, left.
Figure 4
Figure 4
(A) Brain regions showing increased ReHo in MCI patients compared to HCs. (B) Brain regions showing decreased ReHo in MCI patients compared to HCs. MCI, amnestic mild cognitive impairment; HCs, healthy controls; ReHo, regional homogeneity; PCUN, precuneus; PCC, posterior cingulate; PHG, parahippocampal gyrus; LING, lingual gyrus; SPL, superior parietal lobule; R, right; L, left.
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