title: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in the detection of white matter lesions in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).
abstract: Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is recognized as a precursor to dementia. The amnestic MCI progresses usually to Alzheimer disease. Amnestic MCI multiple domain (md-MCI) seems to progress more rapidly than amnestic MCI single domain (a-MCI). In an attempt to identify patients at risk, we examined white matter changes in MCI subtypes using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We also tried to correlate DTI findings to neuropsychological tests. Forty-four amnestic single domain (a-MCI) patients, 19 amnestic multi domain (md-MCI), and 25 cognitively normal (NC) controls were included in the present study. All participants were assessed clinically using a battery of cognitive tests. DTI was performed to measure fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC). Areas studied were corpus callosum, posterior cingulum (PC), anterior cingulum (AC), and superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). ADC and FA of the above areas were related to the scores of certain neuropsychological tests that evaluate visual and verbal memory. No difference in DTI measurements was found between the two MCI subtypes. ADC in MCI cases was increased in comparison with NC in the genu, PC, right SLF, and left AC. FA was spared. Verbal memory was related to ADC of the genu, PC, right AC and right SLF, and to FA of the left SLF. Visual memory was related to ADC of the genu, PC, right AC, and SLF. The strongest correlation found was between the visual memory and the ADC of the right PC (Spearman ρ = 0.45, p < 0.001). DTI revealed that ADC was increased in certain brain areas in MCI patients. No difference in DTI measurements was found between the two MCI subtypes. DTI indices correlate with cognitive performance.
authors.forename: Dimitra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sali
authors.affiliation: Euroclinic Athens, Pontou 24 Drosia Attikis, 14572, Athens, Greece, dimitrasali@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sali
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dimitra
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Verganelakis
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gotsis
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Toulas
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Papatriantafillou
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Karageorgiou
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Thomaides
authors.forename: E Z
authors.initials: EZ
authors.lastname: Kapsalaki
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hadjigeorgiou
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Papadimitriou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D056324:Diffusion Tensor Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests