Volume In Women Research Articles

Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Changes in Thyroid Volume In Women During Pregnancy and Lactation

BJECTIVES Thyroid gland volume may vary physiologically during pregnancy and lactation. We aimed to determine ultrasonographic changes in thyroid volume in this study.MATERIALS AND METHODS The thyroid ultrasound in 30 mothers was performed at the 9th months of gestation, and also 6th and 12th months after delivery, to calculate thyroid volume. The volume of each lobe was estimated in cubic centimeters using the equation of Brunn et al. The volume of each thyroid gland was obtained by collecting the volume of the right and left lobes. The data were analyzed using SPSS, version 15.0 package program.RESULTS The mean volume of the thyroid gland in women in the control group was 11.95 ± 1.90 mL. When compared with the control group, a significant increase in thyroid gland volume was seen in the third trimester. Decrease at the sixth month after delivery was not significant. But the decline in the values in the twelfth month was statistically significant.CONCLUSION Knowing the limits of this physiological increase will be important in distinguishing it from other possible pathologies. We think that the mean thyroid volume values we find will be useful in daily clinical practice.

Lifestyle-dependent brain change: a longitudinal cohort MRI study.

We investigated both independent and interconnected effects of 3 lifestyle factors on brain volume, measuring yearly changes using large-scale longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging, in middle-aged to older adults. We measured brain volumes in a cohort (n= 984, 49-79years) from the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study group, using baseline and follow-up estimates after 4 years. In our analysis, the accelerated brain atrophy in normal aging was observed across regions (e.g., brain tissue: -0.098 ± 0.01mL/y, p < 0.001). An independent lifestyle-specific trend of brain atrophy across time was also evident in men, where smoking (p= 0.012) and physical activity (p= 0.014) showed the strongest association with the atrophy rate. Linear regression analysis of the interconnected effect revealed that brain atrophy is mitigated by intense physical activity in smoking males. Lifestyle factors did not show any significant effect on brain volume in women. These results provide important information regarding lifestyle factors that affect brain aging in mid-to-late adulthood. Our findings may aid in the identification of preventive measures against dementia.

Ulipristal Acetate Impact on Fibroid Volume: Integrated Results From VENUS I and II [11Q

INTRODUCTION: Uterine fibroids (UFs) are common benign tumors that can cause heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB). Ulipristal acetate (UPA), an oral selective progesterone-receptor modulator, suppresses uterine bleeding and reduces fibroid cell size by inducing apoptosis and breakdown of the extracellular matrix. METHODS: In the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, Phase III VENUS I and II studies, pre-menopausal women (18-50 years of age) with ≥1 UF and HMB were randomized to placebo, UPA 5 mg, or UPA 10 mg once daily for 12 weeks (one treatment course [TC] for VENUS I and two TCs for VENUS II), with a 12-week treatment-free follow up. Efficacy endpoints included mean change from baseline in total volume of (up to) the three largest UFs (measured by transvaginal ultrasound). VENUS I and II results were pooled only for the first TC for analysis of fibroid volume changes. RESULTS: Integrated results after the first TC demonstrated significant fibroid volume reduction from baseline with UPA 5 mg (n=170) vs placebo (n=125) (-11.4% and +6.8%, respectively; P=.0037) and UPA 10 mg (n=165) vs placebo (-14.2% and +6.8%, respectively; P&lt;.001). After the second TC of UPA 5 mg (n=70) and 10 mg (n=59), further volume reduction was seen (-11.7% and -23.0%, respectively), which remained reduced at the 12-week treatment-free follow up (-16.0% and -31.5%, respectively). CONCLUSION: Both UPA doses, vs placebo, significantly reduce fibroid volume in women with UFs, with greater reduction observed with UPA 10 mg.

Effects of Sex Hormones and Age on Brain Volume in Post-Menopausal Women

BackgroundInvestigation of the effect of sex hormones on the brain volume in women provides a unique opportunity to examine menopause-related morphometric alterations. AimTo evaluate brain morphological alterations in post-menopausal women using voxel-based morphometry and its correlations with sex hormone levels. Methods20 Pre-menopausal women and 20 post-menopausal women underwent structural MRI. OutcomesT1-weighted magnetic resonance data were acquired and serum sex hormones including total estrogen, estriol, estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone, free testosterone, SHBG, and luteinizing hormone were measured. ResultsPost-menopausal women showed decreased gray matter (GM) in the supplementary motor area (SMA), inferior frontal gyrus, olfactory cortex, and superior temporal gyrus as contrasted with pre-menopausal women using analysis of covariance (P < .05). The GM volume (GMV) values of the SMA, inferior frontal gyrus, and superior temporal gyrus were positively correlated with the levels of E2 in the pre-menopausal and post-menopausal women, in which the volume of the SMA was negatively correlated with the duration of time after menopause in post-menopausal women. Clinical TranslationThis finding is potentially applicable to assess the brain dysfunction with morphological changes in post-menopausal women. ConclusionsOur study is the first to evaluate a direct relationship between the level of E2 and GMV change. We directly compared pre-menopausal and menopausal women un-matched in age. This study highlights the menopause-related morphological alterations in post-menopausal women, suggesting that the reduced GMV were closely associated with the symptoms of menopause caused by the decreased levels of E2.Kim G-W, Park K, Jeong G-W. Effects of Sex Hormones and Age on Brain Volume in Post-Menopausal Women. J Sex Med 2018;15:662–670.

Abstract 025: Cross-sectional Relations of Serum Cortisol and Cognitive and Structural Brain Measures in Young Adults: The Framingham Heart Study

Introduction: Chronic stress and related changes in serum cortisol have adverse effects on brain structure and cognition in animal models. However, evidence from population-based studies is scant. We assessed the association of early morning serum cortisol with cognition and brain structural integrity in middle-aged adults without dementia. Hypotheses: High or low levels of serum cortisol are associated with lower cognitive performance and brain volumes. Methods: We evaluated dementia-free Framingham Study (Generation 3) participants (mean age 48.5 years; 46.8% men), who underwent cognitive testing of memory, abstract reasoning, visual perception, attention, and executive function (n= 2231), and brain MRI (n=2018) to assess total white matter, lobar gray matter, and white matter hyperintensity volumes and fractional anisotropy (FA) measures. We used linear or logistic (cortisol categorized in tertiles, middle tertile as the reference) regression to assess the relations of cortisol with cognition, MRI volumes and voxel-based microstructural white matter integrity and gray matter density, adjusting for age, sex, APOE and vascular risk factors. Results: Higher cortisol (highest tertile vs. middle tertile) was associated with worse memory and visual perception, as well as lower total cerebral brain, occipital and frontal lobar gray matter volumes (Table ) . Higher cortisol was associated with multiple areas of microstructural changes on voxel-based analyses (gray matter density and FA). The association of cortisol with total cerebral brain volume varied by sex ( Pinteraction =0.048 , highest cortisol tertile inversely associated with cerebral brain volume in women [ P= 0.001] but not in men [ P =0.717]). There was no effect modification by the apoE4 genotype of the relations of cortisol and cognition or imaging traits. Conclusions: Higher serum cortisol was associated with lower brain volumes and impaired memory in asymptomatic young adults in their forties; women may be particularly susceptible to this influence.

Grey matter correlates of autistic traits in women with anorexia nervosa

Patients with anorexia nervosa exhibit higher levels of behaviours typically associated with autism-spectrum disorder (ASD), but the neural basis is unclear. We sought to determine whether elevated autistic traits in women with anorexia nervosa may be reflected in cortical morphology. We used voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to examine regional grey matter volumes in high-resolution MRI structural brain scans in women with anorexia nervosa and matched healthy controls. The Autism-spectrum Quotient (AQ) scale was used to assess autistic traits. Women with anorexia nervosa (n = 25) had higher AQ scores and lower bilateral superior temporal sulcus (STS) grey matter volumes than the control group (n = 25). The AQ scores correlated negatively with average left STS grey matter volume in women with anorexia nervosa. We did not control for cognitive ability and examined only women with ongoing anorexia nervosa. Elevated autistic traits in women with anorexia nervosa are associated with morphometric alterations of brain areas linked to social cognition. This finding provides neurobiological support for the behavioural link between anorexia nervosa and ASD and emphasizes the importance of recognizing autistic traits in preventing and treating ­anorexia nervosa.

The Accuracy of Portable Ultrasound Bladder Scanner Measurements of Postvoid Residual Volume in Women With Pelvic Organ Prolapse.

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of portable bladder scanner postvoid residual (PVR) volume measurements in patients with pelvic organ prolapse. A secondary goal was to determine whether covariates such as bladder volume and stage of prolapse affect bladder scanner accuracy.Study DesignComplex urodynamic studies were performed on 70 patients with stage II or greater prolapse. Complex urodynamic studies included measurement of maximum bladder capacity (MBC) as well as measurement of PVR by urethral catheterization before, and following, complex filling cystometry. For each catheterized PVR, a corresponding bladder scanner measurement was obtained; the primary outcome was the difference between these measurements. In addition, bladder scanner measurements of MBC were compared with MBC by urodynamic pump. Measurements were compared by paired t test. Linear regression was used to assess association between covariates and bladder scanner error.ResultsThere was no significant difference between catheter and bladder scanner PVR at the initial (mean difference, 5.94 mL; 95% confidence interval [CI], −3.8 to 15.7) or final (mean difference, 1.37 mL; 95% CI, −10.9 to 13.6) measurements. Maximum bladder capacity measurements by bladder scanner were significantly smaller than catheterized measurements (mean difference, −21.3 mL; 95% CI, −40.3 to −2.3). Stage III/IV prolapse was associated with increased bladder scanner error (P = 0.03).ConclusionsThe portable bladder scanner accurately measures PVR in patients with pelvic organ prolapse and could be considered as an alternative to catheterized assessment. However, stage III/IV prolapse is associated with increased bladder scanner error, which should be considered when determining appropriate candidates for bladder scanner PVR assessment.

Subclinical changes in MRI-determined right ventricular volumes and function in subjects with prediabetes and diabetes.

The aim of this study was to assess subclinical changes in right ventricular volumes and function in subjects with prediabetes and diabetes and controls without a history of cardiovascular disease. Data from 400 participants in the KORA FF4 study without self-reported cardiovascular disease who underwent 3-T whole-body MRI were obtained. The right ventricle was evaluated using the short axis and a four-chamber view. Diabetes was defined according to WHO criteria. Associations between glucose tolerance and right ventricular parameters were assessed using multivariable adjusted linear regression models. Data from 337 participants were available for analysis. Of these, 43 (13%) had diabetes, 87 (26%) had prediabetes, and 207 (61%) were normoglycaemic controls. There was a stepwise decrease in right ventricular volumes in men with prediabetes and diabetes in comparison with controls, including right ventricular end-diastolic volume (β = -20.4 and β = -25.6, respectively; p ≤ 0.005), right ventricular end-systolic volume (β = -12.3 and β = -12.7, respectively; p ≤ 0.037) and right ventricular stroke volume (β = -8.1 and β = -13.1, respectively, p ≤ 0.016). We did not observe any association between prediabetes or diabetes and right ventricular volumes in women or between prediabetes or diabetes and right ventricular ejection fraction in men and women. This study points towards early subclinical changes in right ventricular volumes in men with diabetes and prediabetes. • MRI was used to detect subclinical changes in right ventricular parameters. • Diabetes mellitus is associated with right ventricular dysfunction. • Impairment of right ventricular volumes seems to occur predominantly in men.

Enlarged adipocytes in subcutaneous adipose tissue associated to hyperandrogenism and visceral adipose tissue volume in women with polycystic ovary syndrome

ContextPolycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is an androgen excess disorder associated with obesity and adipose tissue disturbances. Our aim was to evaluate gene expression of adipocytokines and adipocyte characteristics in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) of PCOS women. DesignTwelve PCOS (PCOSw) and 12 control (Cw) premenopausal women (BMI 20–35 kg/m2) were included, with measurements of whole-body composition assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, and abdominal subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) volume, by magnetic resonance imaging. An oral glucose tolerance test was performed with measurements of glucose and insulin, and sex steroids, lipid profile and serum adipocytokines were determined in the fasting sample. Adipocytokine gene expression, mean adipocyte area and macrophage infiltration were evaluated in SAT biopsies. ResultsBoth groups were comparable in age and BMI. Trunk fat mass amount (p = .043), serum and SAT leptin/adiponectin ratio (p = .034 and p = .028, respectively) and adipocyte area (p = .015) were higher in PCOSw compared to Cw. Interestingly, trunk fat mass was positively correlated with adipocyte area in PCOSw (r = 0.821, p = .023), while the inverse correlation was found in Cw (r = −0.786, p = .021). Only in PCOSw, adipocyte area was positively correlated with serum testosterone (r = 0.857, p = .014) and visceral adipose tissue volume (r = 0.857, p = .014). ConclusionsOur results indicate that PCOS women present adipose tissue dysfunction in the subcutaneous compartment, characterized by an alteration in adipocyte size and leptin/adiponectin expression and secretion, probably associated with higher androgen concentrations.

Intra- and Inter-Rater Reliability of Bioimpedance in the Evaluation of Lymphedema Secondary to Treatment of Breast Cancer.

The objective of the study was to evaluate the intra- and inter-rater reliability of bioimpedance in determining upper limb volume in women with lymphedema resulting from breast cancer treatment, as well as its correlation with the upper limb volume calculated by circumferential measurement. A blind cross-sectional study was performed in which 27 women (62.59 ± 10.50 years) were evaluated with upper limb lymphedema secondary to breast cancer treatment. Two examiners performed assessments in the same volunteers independently and twice, with an interval of 1 week between assessments. The collections were performed by the direct tetrapolar multifrequency segmental bioimpedance and by the circumference of the upper limb homolateral to the breast cancer. The results of the circumference showed that the homolateral limb had lymphedema. The intra- and inter-rater analysis showed excellent reliability with intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values ranging from 0.954 to 0.999 for the amount of liquid and excellent reliability with ICC values ranging from 0.852 to 0.999 for the electrical impedance of the upper limb with lymphedema. The correlation was strong and negative (p < 0.05) between intracellular, extracellular, and total water when associated with electrical impedance and moderate and positive (p < 0.05) when associated with upper limb volume for all frequencies. The correlations between upper limb volume and water quantities were moderate and positive (p < 0.05). The results indicate that bioimpedance is a reliable method for the evaluation of lymphedema, and the volume of the homolateral upper limb is associated with the amount of water in women with lymphedema secondary to the treatment of breast cancer.

Alterations of brain volumes in women with early life maltreatment and their associations with oxytocin

Early life maltreatment (ELM) is associated with different neurobiological alterations. Lower oxytocin and altered grey matter volumes (GMV) in brain regions associated with the central oxytocin system, such as the hypothalamus, amygdala, and nucleus accumbens, have been reported in women with ELM. However, the association between peripheral oxytocin and brain morphometry in women with ELM has not been studied yet. We therefore collected blood samples from 33 women with and 25 women without ELM, all without current mental disorders to measure and compare oxytocin levels between the two groups. Furthermore, T1-weighted high-resolution structural magnetic resonance brain images of a subsample of these women were collected, analyzed with voxel-based morphometry, compared between the two groups, and correlated with oxytocin levels. There were no differences in oxytocin levels between the groups. However, oxytocin levels were associated with different brain regions in women with ELM compared with control women without ELM: A positive association between GMV in the nucleus accumbens and oxytocin was specific for control women but not for women with ELM. For the hypothalamus, there was a positive association between GMV and oxytocin in control women. However, the same region was negatively associated with oxytocin in women with ELM and it showed larger GMV compared to control women without ELM. For the amygdala, a negative association between GMV and oxytocin was specific for women with ELM. Results are discussed with regard to previous research on endocrine and neurostructural alterations in individuals with ELM.

Chronic Use of Aspirin and Total White Matter Lesion Volume: Results from the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

To investigate the relationship between aspirin and subclinical cerebrovascular heath, we evaluated the effect of chronic aspirin use on white matter lesions (WML) volume among women. Chronic aspirin use was assessed in 1365 women who participated in the Women's Health Initiative Memory Study of Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Differences in WML volumes between aspirin users and nonusers were assessed with linear mixed models. A number of secondary analyses were performed, including lobe-specific analyses, subgroup analyses based on participants' overall risk of cerebrovascular disease, and a dose-response relationship analysis. The mean age of the women at magnetic resonance imaging examination was 77.6 years. Sixty-one percent of participants were chronic aspirin users. After adjusting for demographic variables and comorbidities, chronic aspirin use was nonsignificantly associated with 4.8% (95% CI: -6.8%, 17.9%) larger WML volumes. These null findings were confirmed in secondary and sensitivity analyses, including an active comparator evaluation where aspirin users were compared to users of nonaspirin nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or acetaminophen. There was a nonsignificant difference in WML volumes between aspirin users and nonusers. Further, our results suggest that chronic aspirin use may not have a clinically significant effect on WML volumes in women.

Study on Heroine Discourse under the Kim Jong Un Regime: Focusing on Articles of Women of Joseon

For an overview of women`s policy in North Korea, 60 volumes of Women of Joseon (2012.1-2016.12) were subject to analysis. The journal has been the exemplary model that puts across the authority`s policy and explores various types of the heroine to push for a “learn from the heroine campaign.” The heroines in the journal articles can be categorized into five types of ideal womanhood - the hardworking woman, the woman revolutionary, the professional woman, the good wife and wise mother, and the woman supporting the military and volunteering. Those five types are used to examine the policy intentions of the North Korean authorities. The analysis of policy intentions found the collapse of conventional gender-based boundaries of labor areas; the spread of the Stakhanov movement; the propagation of the theory of the great family and paternalism of women; and succession by the third generation and political power of women. Like other socialist states, the North Korea advocates gender equality through policies. However, in reality, it defines its view towards women under its unique propaganda called “Juche Idea”, so that North Korean women are dominated by patriarchal ideology that prioritizes the father (the leader) and are socially restrained to realize themselves within the boundaries of the party and organization. They are also haunted by the male-centered patriarchal view of the family and undertake production activities in the labor force while simultaneously handling housework and childcare. Worse yet, women are faced with hardworking competition, production-quotas, and ideology-learning programs that aim to cover the shortcomings of the social economic system and maximize the use of labor forces causing women to be burdened with a double and even triple whammy.

Estrogen enhances hippocampal gray-matter volume in young and older postmenopausal women: a prospective dose-response study

Estrogen administration following menopause has been shown to support hippocampally mediated cognitive processes. A number of previous studies have examined the effect of estrogen on hippocampal structure to determine the mechanism underlying estrogen effects on hippocampal function. However, these studies have been largely observational and provided inconsistent results. We examined the effect of short-term estradiol administration on hippocampal gray-matter volume in a prospective study with multiple doses of estradiol (placebo, 1 mg, and 2 mg). Following 3 months of estradiol administration, bilateral posterior hippocampal voxel-based gray-matter volume was increased in women who received 2-mg estradiol. There were no significant differences in total hippocampal volume and no significant effects on gray-matter volume in women who received placebo or 1-mg estradiol. These findings accord with previous animal studies and provide evidence of estrogen effects on hippocampal morphology that may represent a neurobiological mechanism for estrogen effects on cognition in postmenopausal women.

Accuracy of a Portable Bladder Scanner to Measure Post-Void Residual Urine Volume in Women with Pelvic Organ Prolapse

IntroductionLower urinary tract evaluation in women with pelvic organ prolapse commonly includes measurement of the post-void residual urine volume. Portable bladder scanners may not accurately measure post-void residual urine volume in women with pelvic organ prolapse as the bladder is no longer in its normal anatomical position. In this study we investigated the accuracy of the BladderScan® BVI 9400 to measure post-void residual urine volume in women with prolapse. MethodsWe conducted a prospective observational study of 31 women with pelvic organ prolapse being evaluated in the outpatient setting. Women underwent 3 post-void residual urine volume measurements, including 1) portable bladder scan with prolapse not reduced, 2) portable bladder scan with prolapse reduced and 3) straight catheterization. Student’s t-test, Pearson’s correlation and Bland-Altman analysis were used to compare the 3 measurements. ResultsThere were no differences in absolute errors among the 3 methods of measurement (all p >0.05). All 3 measurements were strongly correlated (all r >0.85 and all p <0.001). The bladder scan measurements obtained during prolapse reduction did not appear to agree more with the catheterized volume than the bladder scan measurements obtained when prolapse was not reduced. Bladder scan error was not related to obesity (p=0.46) or prior hysterectomy (p=0.81). ConclusionsPelvic organ prolapse did not affect post-void residual urine volume measurement error using a portable bladder scanner. Thus, it may be unnecessary to reduce stage 2-3 pelvic organ prolapse before obtaining a post-void residual urine volume measurement.

The Influence of Gender and Anthropometry on Haemodynamic Status at Rest and in Response to Graded Incremental Head-Up Tilt in Young, Healthy Adults.

The body's ability to rapidly and appropriately regulate blood pressure in response to changing physiological demand is a key feature of a healthy cardiovascular system. Passively tilting the body, thereby changing central blood volume, is a well-recognized and controlled method of evaluating this ability. However, such studies usually involve single tilt angles, or intermittent tilting separated by supine, resting periods; valuable information concerning the adaptive capacity of the regulatory systems involved is therefore currently lacking. Furthermore, despite increasing recognition that men and women differ in the magnitude of their haemodynamic response to such stimuli, little is known about the degree to which gender differences in body composition and anthropometry influence these regulatory pathways, or indeed if these differences are apparent in response to graded, incremental tilting. In the present study we measured, in 23 young, healthy adults (13 men, 10 women), the continuous beat-to-beat haemodynamic response to graded, incremental tilting (0°, 20°, 40°, 60°, and back to 40°) with each tilt angle lasting 16 min. On average, we observed increases in heart rate (+41%), blood pressure (+10%), and total peripheral resistance (+16%) in response to tilting. However, whilst men showed an immediate decrease in cardiac output upon tilting (−8.9%) cardiac output in women did not change significantly from supine values. Interestingly, the decrease in stroke volume observed in women was significantly less than that observed in men (−22 vs. −36%, p < 0.05); although the present study could not determine if this difference was due to gender per se or due to differences in body size (in particular height) between the two gender groups. Such disparities in the magnitude of autonomic response may indicate (in the case of our gradual incremental tilt procedure) a better buffering capacity to progressive changes in central blood volume in women; which warrants further investigation, particularly in light of the well-recognized differences in cardiovascular disease risk between men and women.

The Hidden Work of Women in Small Family Firms in Southern Spain

Women have historically played an important hidden role in family firms, and a great deal of research is now shedding light on this role. In spite of the more formal nature of female work at the present day, still a considerable volume of women’s contributions in family firms is unregistered and unpaid, even in developed regions. A questionnaire was administered to 396 women working in small and medium-sized family firms located in Andalucia, a southern European region, characterized by familialism and an important informal economy. Our results confirm the persistence of subordinate forms of unpaid family collaboration due to the neutrality assigned to female contributions under the traditional gendered division of work. But also this study shows how some of the women voluntarily embrace subordinate roles as a temporary way to gain professional experience, useful for their future work inside or outside the family firm.

Gender disparities in red blood cell transfusion in elective surgery: a post hoc multicentre cohort study

ObjectivesA post hoc gender comparison of transfusion-related modifiable risk factors among patients undergoing elective surgery.Settings23 Austrian centres randomly selected and stratified by region and level of care.ParticipantsWe consecutively enrolled in...

Relationship between serum gonadotropin concentrations and thyroid volume in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Relationship between serum gonadotropin concentrations and thyroid volume in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Magnetic Resonance Volumetry: Prediction of Subjective Memory Complaints and Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Associations with Genetic and Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Background/Aims: Subjective memory complaints (SMC) are strong predictors of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and subsequent Alzheimer’s disease. Our aims were to see if fully automated cerebral MR volume measurements could distinguish subjects with SMC and MCI from controls, and if probable parental late-onset Alzheimer’s disease (LOAD), apolipoprotein E ε4 genotype, total plasma homocysteine, and cardiovascular risk factors were associated with MR volumetric findings. Methods: 198 stroke-free subjects comprised the control (n = 58), the SMC (n = 25) and the MCI (n = 115) groups. Analysis of covariance and receiver operating characteristic curve was used to see if MR volumetry distinguished subjects with SMC and MCI from controls. Results: Subjects with SMC and MCI had significantly larger lateral ventricles and smaller hippocampal volumes than controls. The area under the curve in subjects with SMC and MCI compared to that of controls was less than 0.68 for all volumes of intracranial structures. There was an interaction between sex and probable parental LOAD for hippocampal volume, with a significant association between probable parental LOAD and hippocampal volume in women. Conclusions: Fully automated MR volumetry can distinguish subjects with SMC and MCI from controls in a general population, but insufficiently to assume a clear clinical role. Research on sporadic LOAD might benefit from a sex-specific search for genetic risk factors.