title: Tissue oxygen saturation and pulsatility index as markers for amnestic mild cognitive impairment: NIRS and TCD study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the utility of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and transcranial Doppler (TCD) parameters as potential markers for amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI).
  
  
  METHODS
  By means of NIRS and TCD, noninvasive and inexpensive technologies, we studied 21 patients with aMCI (10 M and 11 F, 70.2 ± 7.3 years) and 10 age matched healthy controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  By means of NIRS, we found a significant mean decrease of tissue oxygen saturation of cortex microcirculation (TOI), - 27%, p < 0.0005, on the temporal-parietal cortex of both side compared to the controls. By means of TCD, we found a significant mean increase of pulsatility index (PI), p < 0.0007, of middle cerebral artery (MCA) of both side compared to the controls. Cerebrovascular risk factors were present in 81% of the aMCI patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study reveals that the TOI reduction on the temporal-parietal cortex of both side and the increase of PI in both MCA are associated with a clinical diagnosis of aMCI patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The reduction of TOI may be considered a new marker for aMCI, especially when combined with the increase of PI in MCA.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Dementia Assessment Unit, S. Pio Hospital, via C. De Lellis, 66054 Vasto (CH), Italy. stefano.viola@email.it
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Viola
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Viola
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Buongarzone
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fiorelli
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Litterio
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000647:Amnesia / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000502:physiology; D001785:Blood Gas Monitoring, Transcutaneous; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000503:physiopathology; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D010100:Oxygen