title: Cortical thinning in verbal, visual, and both memory-predominant mild cognitive impairment.
abstract: The amnestic form of mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is likely a precursor of Alzheimer disease (AD). Both verbal and visual memory tests are used in the diagnosis of aMCI; however, it is unknown which type of test is superior at predicting the underlying pathologic changes associated with AD. In this study, we compared the topography of cortical thinning among 3 subtypes of patients with aMCI: 33 patients with predominant verbal memory impairment (verbal-aMCI), 35 with predominant visual memory impairment (visual-aMCI), and 56 with both verbal and visual memory-predominant impairment (both-aMCI), and 143 patients with normal cognition. As a result, patients with verbal-aMCI showed cortical thinning in the left anterior and medial temporal regions compared with individuals with normal cognition, while those with visual-aMCI did not show significant cortical thinning. The cortical thinning areas of both-aMCI group overlapped those of verbal-aMCI but were more widespread involving the bilateral temporal regions. These findings suggest that the verbal-aMCI and both-aMCI are more likely to be a precursor of AD than visual-aMCI, and that both-aMCI may be more advanced subtype than verbal-aMCI on the spectrum from MCI to AD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Kangnam-ku, Seoul 135-710, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Jeong
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kiho
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Im
authors.forename: Jong-Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Aram
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Juhee
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.forename: Geon Ha
authors.initials: GH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jong Hun
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jee Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Roh
authors.forename: Sang Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Duk L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Na
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales