A magnetic resonance imaging study of the gray matter configuration in amnestic mild cognitive impairment patients

Abstract

Objective To investigate the cortex gray matter configuration in amnestic mild cognitive impairment(aMCI)patients using MRI technology, FMRIB software library(FSL)and Freesurfer software.Methods Twenty aMCI patients and 20 normal control subjects were recruited and studied. They were matched by age, sex and education. All the patients and healthy volunteers underwent MRI scan using SEMENTS trio 3.0 T MRI. The subtile three-dimensional brain images were obtained using high resolution scanning technique. The imaging data was processed and analyzed with FSL and Freesurfer software. The cortex gray matter density and thickness in different brain areas of aMCI patients and normal control subjects were calculated and compared using statistic analysis. Results Compared to that in the controls, cortex gray matter density in the aMCI patients showed remarkable decreases in left frontal lobe, temporal lobe,parietal lobe, and slight decrease in right thalamus, temporal lobe and island lobe; For cortex thickness,aMCI patients showed significant decreases in left anterior cingulate gyrus((2. 19 ±0. 24)mm), inferior parietal lobe((2. 27 ± 0. 15)mm), bilateral parahippocampal gyrus((2. 03 ± 0. 15),(2. 04 ±0. 17)mm), precentral gyrus((2. 20 ± 0. 11),(2. 31 ± 0. 19)mm), postcentral gyrus((1.88 ± 0. 11),(1.82 ± 0. 09)mm), superior frontal gyrus((2. 42 ± 0. 34),(2. 40 ± 0. 28)mm), middle frontal gyrus ((2.31±0.31),(2.33 ±0.29)mm), supramarginal gyrus((2.53 ±0.33),(2.55 ±0.23)mm),temporal pole((3.41 ±0.68),(3.30 ±0.56)mm)and transverse temporal gyrus((2.04 ±0. 12),(2. 01 ± 0. 11)mm; t = 2. 13-3.75, P ＜ 0. 05), no significant changes in the other areas(t = 0. 09-1.88, P ＞ 0. 05). Conclusions Our results suggest that there are significant changes in gray matter configuration in cortex of aMCl patients. The changes of cortical thickness is earlier than the changes of gray matter density. Key words: Amnesia; Cognition disorders; Cerebral cortex; Magnetic resonance imaging