Volume changes in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment: cognitive associations.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the relationship between MRI-derived changes in whole-brain and ventricular volume with change in cognitive scores in Alzheimer's disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and control subjects.


METHODS
In total 131 control, 231 MCI and 99 AD subjects from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) cohort with T1-weighted volumetric MRIs from baseline and 12-month follow-up were used to derive volume changes. Mini mental state examination (MMSE), Alzheimer's disease assessment scale (ADAS)-cog and trails test changes were calculated over the same period.


RESULTS
Brain atrophy rates and ventricular enlargement differed between subject groups (p < 0.0005) and in MCI and AD were associated with MMSE changes. Both measures were additionally associated with ADAS-cog and trails-B in MCI patients, and ventricular expansion was associated with ADAS-cog in AD patients. Brain atrophy (p < 0.0005) and ventricular expansion rates (p = 0.001) were higher in MCI subjects who progressed to AD within 12 months of follow-up compared with MCI subjects who remained stable. MCI subjects who progressed to AD within 12 months had similar atrophy rates to AD subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
Whole-brain atrophy rates and ventricular enlargement differed between patient groups and healthy controls, and tracked disease progression and psychological decline, demonstrating their relevance as biomarkers.
Evans
Matthew C
MC
Dementia Research Centre, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG, UK.
Barnes
Josephine
J
Nielsen
Casper
C
Kim
Lois G
LG
Clegg
Shona L
SL
Blair
Melanie
M
Leung
Kelvin K
KK
Douiri
Abdel
A
Boyes
Richard G
RG
Ourselin
Sebastien
S
Fox
Nick C
NC
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity