Cerebral atrophy as predictor of cognitive function in old, community-dwelling individuals.
OBJECTIVE
The impact of cortical and subcortical atrophy on cognitive function was examined in a sample of older community-dwelling men and women.


METHODS
Magnetic resonance imaging was performed on a sample of 129 individuals [age: 68.4 +/- 3.6 years (mean +/- SD), range 64-74 years, 64 women and 65 men, Mini-Mental State Examination scores above 23] to assess cortical and subcortical atrophy. Participants also performed a number of cognitive tasks, and the measures of atrophy were used to predict performance in these tasks.


RESULTS
In men, frontal cortical atrophy predicted worse performance in word fluency and the Stroop test, and occipital cortical atrophy was associated with poor performance in motor speed. In women, poor performance in motor speed was associated with subcortical atrophy at the level of the caudate nucleus.


CONCLUSIONS
Atrophy in certain areas was associated with poor performance in specific cognitive tasks, although the amount of explained variance was rather limited in this quite homogeneous sample.
Söderlund
H
H
Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden. hedvig@rotman-baycrest.on.ca
Nyberg
L
L
Nilsson
L-G
LG
D000368:Aged; D001284:Atrophy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D002421:Caudate Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D003071:Cognition; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D016852:Housing for the Elderly; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012737:Sex Factors