Title
Functional implications of hippocampal volume and diffusivity in mild cognitive impairment
Abstract
Hippocampal atrophy has been related to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and early Alzheimer disease (AD), but the diagnostic significance of cross-sectionally determined hippocampal volumes is still ambiguous. Diffusion-Tensor-Imaging (DTI) in MCI patients revealed an association of microstructural changes in hippocampal areas with verbal memory decline. MRI volumetry and DTI were combined to investigate 18 MCI patients attending a memory clinic, and 18 carefully age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Neuropsychological testing, high resolution T1-weighted volume MRI scans, and DTI scans with regions-of-interest in hippocampal areas were applied. Left hippocampal volume was significantly lower (−11%, P = 0.02) in MCI patients than in control subjects. No significant differences were found for the right hippocampus (−4%). Mean diffusivity (MD) was significantly elevated in MCI patients vs. controls in left (+ 10%, P = 0.002) and right hippocampal areas (+ 13%, P = 0.02). Hippocampal volume and MD values were not significantly correlated. Combining left hippocampal volume and MD measures showed that lower left hippocampal volumes were associated with poor verbal memory performance particularly when co-occurring with high MD values. No comparable associations could be found regarding the right hippocampal formation and with respect to non-verbal memory function. The results demonstrate that microstructural abnormalities as revealed by DTI are very sensitive early indicators of hippocampal dysfunction. The combination of macro- and microstructural parameters in hippocampal areas could be promising in early detection of neurodegenerative processes.
Year
DOI
Venue
2005
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2005.06.029
NeuroImage
Keywords
Field
DocType
Mild cognitive impairment,Hippocampus volumetry,Diffusion tensor imaging,Diffusivity,Memory
Developmental psychology,Early detection,Diffusion MRI,Alzheimer's disease,Memory clinic,Cognitive psychology,Psychology,Verbal memory,Hippocampal formation,Cognitive impairment,Right hippocampus
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
28
4
1053-8119
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
12
1.31
4
Authors
8
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Matthias J Müller1152.40
Dirk Greverus2121.31
Paulo R Dellani3263.50
Carsten Weibrich4121.31
Paulo R. Wille5121.64
Armin Scheurich6394.13
Peter Stoeter77410.09
Andreas Fellgiebel8243.56