Deformation-based morphometry reveals brain atrophy in frontotemporal dementia.
OBJECTIVE
To compare deformation-based maps of local anatomical size between subjects with frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and healthy subjects to identify regions of the brain involved in FTD.


METHODS
Structural magnetic resonance images were obtained from 22 subjects with FTD and 22 cognitively normal, age-matched controls. We applied deformation-based morphometry and compared anatomy between groups using an analysis of covariance model that included a categorical variable denoting group membership and covaried for head size.


METHODS
University of California, San Francisco, Memory and Aging Center, and the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center.


METHODS
Twenty-two subjects with FTD and 22 cognitively normal, age-matched controls.


METHODS
Neurological, neuropsychological, and functional evaluations and magnetic resonance imaging.


METHODS
Deformation maps of local anatomical size.


RESULTS
Patients with FTD showed extensive, significant atrophy of the frontal lobes, affecting both gray matter and white matter. Atrophy of similar magnitude but less significance was observed in the anterior temporal lobes. The subcortical and midbrain regions, particularly the thalamus, pons, and superior and inferior colliculi, showed strongly significant atrophy of smaller magnitude.


CONCLUSIONS
We confirmed frontal and anterior temporal gray matter atrophy in FTD. The observed white matter loss, thalamic involvement, and midbrain atrophy are consistent with pathological findings in late-stage FTD. Dysfunction of ventral-frontal-brainstem circuitry may underlie some of the unique clinical features of FTD.
Cardenas
Valerie A
VA
Magnetic Resonance Unit, San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center, CA 94121, USA. valerie.cardenas-nicolson@ucsf.edu
Boxer
Adam L
AL
Chao
Linda L
LL
Gorno-Tempini
Maria L
ML
Miller
Bruce L
BL
Weiner
Michael W
MW
Studholme
Colin
C
D000368:Aged; D001284:Atrophy; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000473:pathology