Volume loss of the medial temporal lobe structures in subjective memory impairment.
OBJECTIVE
Subjective memory impairment (SMI) has been suggested as a manifestation of Alzheimer's Disease (AD) preceding mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In this study, we determined the volumes of the hippocampus, the entorhinal cortex (EC) and the amygdala to provide biological evidence for AD in SMI.


METHODS
Regional volumetric measures were manually traced on 3-Tesla MRI scans.


RESULTS
Total brain volume did not differ between the groups. Individuals with SMI had reduced volumes of the hippocampus bilaterally (right p = 0.001; left p < 0.001), the bilateral EC (right p = 0.031, left p = 0.006) and the right amygdala (p = 0.01) compared to the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
Volume reduction of bilateral hippocampus, bilateral EC and right amygdala supports the concept of SMI as a very early manifestation of AD prior to MCI. SMI may indicate awareness of a degenerative process that can still be functionally compensated.
Striepens
Nadine
N
Department of Psychiatry, University of Bonn, Germany. nadine.striepens@web.de
Scheef
Lukas
L
Wind
Andrea
A
Popp
Julius
J
Spottke
Annika
A
Cooper-Mahkorn
Déirdre
D
Suliman
Husam
H
Wagner
Michael
M
Schild
Hans H
HH
Jessen
Frank
F
D000368:Aged; D000679:Amygdala / Q000473:pathology; D001057:Apolipoproteins E / Q000235:genetics; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D004493:Education; D018728:Entorhinal Cortex / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000473:pathology*
D001057:Apolipoproteins E