Evaluation of cerebellar asymmetry in Alzheimer's disease: a stereological study.
OBJECTIVE
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia and, as previous studies have indicated, degenerative changes in the cerebellum occur in AD. It is well known that the cerebellum does not have a symmetric morphology and some pathological disorders, such as schizophrenia, epilepsy, autism and alcoholism, can cause asymmetrical changes in the cerebellum. In this study, we aimed to evaluate whether or not patients with AD show cerebellar asymmetry. We also intended to depict the probable volumetric asymmetry by using a stereological technique.


METHODS
The study evaluated the volumetric measurements of each cerebellar hemisphere by applying a stereological method to MR images. This age- and gender-matched study was composed of 15 patients with probable AD and 14 healthy subjects (controls). MR images were analyzed by using the point-counting approach, holding to Cavalieri's principle.


RESULTS
Although there was significant cerebellar atrophy in AD patients, the study showed no statistically significant cerebellar asymmetry according to age and gender, both in the study and control groups (p > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
There was no difference in cerebellar asymmetry associated with age and gender between the AD patients and control subjects. The stereological evaluation of cerebellar asymmetry correlating with gender is of importance to both clinicians and anatomists. The technique is simple, inexpensive, reliable and unbiased.
Kusbeci
Ozge Yilmaz
OY
Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Afyon Kocatepe University, Afyonkarahisar, Turkey. yilmazozge@hotmail.com
Bas
Orhan
O
Gocmen-Mas
Nuket
N
Karabekir
Hamit Selim
HS
Yucel
Aylin
A
Ertekin
Tolga
T
Yazici
Ayse Canan
AC
D000368:Aged; D000465:Algorithms; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004493:Education; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012727:Sex Characteristics