Family History of Alzheimer's Disease and Cortical Thickness in Patients With Dementia.
A first-degree family history of Alzheimer's disease reflects genetic risks for the neurodegenerative disorder. Recent imaging data suggest localized effects of genetic risks on brain structure in healthy people. It is unknown whether this association can also be found in patients who already have dementia. Our aim was to investigate whether family history risk modulates regional medial temporal lobe cortical thickness in patients with Alzheimer's disease. We performed high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging and cortical unfolding data analysis on 54 patients and 53 nondemented individuals. A first-degree family history of Alzheimer's disease was associated with left hemispheric cortical thinning in the subiculum among patients and controls. The contribution of Alzheimer's disease family history to regional brain anatomy changes independent of cognitive impairment may reflect genetic risks that modulate onset and clinical course of the disease.
Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Steffi
S
Ganske
Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Robert
R
Haussmann
Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Antonia
A
Gruschwitz
Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Annett
A
Werner
Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Dresden, Germany.
Antje
A
Osterrath
Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Johanna
J
Baumgaertel
Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Jan
J
Lange
Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Katharina L
KL
Donix
Department of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
Jennifer
J
Linn
Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Dresden, Germany markus.donix@uniklinikum-dresden.de.
Markus
M
Donix
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics*; D001284:Atrophy / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors
Alzheimer’s disease; MRI; entorhinal cortex; family history of Alzheimer’s disease; hippocampus; subiculum