Year: 2022
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Alzheimer’s disease pathology leads to neurodegeneration within the memory-related structures of the medial temporal cortex and hippocampus. Neurodegeneration also occurs as a part of normative aging and it is unclear whether medial temporal lobe subregions are selectively intact in older adults with preserved cognitive function in comparison to adults who are cognitively impaired. In this study, we used T1-weighted and high-resolution T2-weighted magnetic resonance images to assess age-related volumetric changes to medial temporal lobe regions, including the hippocampal formation and rhinal cortex, in patients with mild cognitive impairment and cognitively normal controls in two independent cohorts. Our results show age was significantly associated with regional atrophy in the hippocampus, but not the rhinal cortex. Additionally, variability in regional medial temporal lobe volume was associated with tau uptake in the rhinal cortex, but not the hippocampus. Together, these results suggest that the rhinal cortex may be more indicative of Alzheimer’s disease pathology and can help differentiate from age-related neurodegeneration.
Authors: Farshid Sepehrband, Kirsten M. Lynch, Andrea Sotelo Gasperi, Michael S. Bienkowski, Xinhui Wang, Helena C. Chui, Arthur W Toga, the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Institution: University of Southern California
Language: English
Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
Funder: National Institutes of Health
OpenAlex ID: W4281641415