title: Distinct laterality alterations distinguish mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease from healthy aging: statistical parametric mapping with high resolution MRI.
abstract: Laterality of human brain varies under healthy aging and diseased conditions. The alterations in hemispheric asymmetry may embed distinct biomarkers linked to the disease dynamics. Statistical parametric mapping based on high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and image processing techniques have allowed automated characterization of morphological features across the entire brain. In this study, 149 subjects grouped in healthy young, healthy elderly, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD) were investigated using multivariate analysis for regional cerebral laterality indexed by surface area, curvature index, cortical thickness, and subjacent white matter volume measured on high-resolution MR images. Asymmetry alteration of MCI and AD were characterized by marked region-specific reduction, while healthy elderly featured a distinct laterality shift in the limbic system in addition to regional asymmetry loss. Lack of the laterality shift in limbic system and early loss of asymmetry in entorhinal cortex may be biomarkers to identify preclinical AD among other dementia. Multivariate analysis of hemispheric asymmetry may provide information helpful for monitoring the disease progress and improving the management of MCI and AD.
authors.affiliation: Paul. C. Lauterbur Research Centers for Biomedical Imaging, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Lijuan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Weiqi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.forename: Chunxiang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Bensheng
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Qiu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult