A Voxel-Based Morphometry Study in AlzheimerÂ’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment

Abstract

Objectives: A number of structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have demonstrated grey matter (GM) atrophy in subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We used a voxel-based morphometric (VBM) approach to evaluate the patterns of atrophy in GM in subjects with AD and MCI in comparison to control subjects. Methods: We performed brain MRI with VBM analysis in 53 subjects with AD, 32 subjects with MCI, and 32 normal elderly controls. Results: In the AD group, we found GM atrophy in the left cingulate gyrus, left dorsal posterior cingulate cortex, left inferior temporal gyrus, and right supramarginal gyrus compared to control subjects, and in the right inferior frontal gyrus, right orbitofrontal area, left uncus, left ventral entorhinal cortex, and left inferior temporal gyrus compared to subjects in the MCI group. There were no significant differences in GM loss between MCI and control subjects. Conclusion: We demonstrated the involvement of GM in AD, but not in MCI. The pattern of GM volume reductions can help us understand the underlying pathologic mechanisms in AD and MCI.