Dataset Information
Progressive regional atrophy in normal adults with a maternal history of Alzheimer disease.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Objective
Beyond age, having a family history is the most significant risk factor for Alzheimer disease (AD). This longitudinal brain imaging study examines whether there are differential patterns of regional gray matter atrophy in cognitively healthy elderly subjects with (FH+) and without (FH-) a family history of late-onset AD.Methods
As part of the KU Brain Aging Project, cognitively intact individuals with a maternal history (FHm, n = 11), paternal history (FHp, n = 10), or no parental history of AD (FH-, n = 32) similar in age, gender, education, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score received MRI at baseline and 2-year follow-up. A custom voxel-based morphometry processing stream was used to examine regional differences in atrophy between FH groups, controlling for age, gender, and APOE ?4 (APOE4) status. We also analyzed APOE4-related atrophy.Results
Cognitively normal FH+ individuals had significantly increased whole-brain gray matter atrophy and CSF expansion compared to FH-. When FH+ groups were split, only FHm was associated with longitudinal measures of brain change. Moreover, our voxel-based analysis revealed that FHm subjects had significantly greater atrophy in the precuneus and parahippocampus/hippocampus regions compared to FH- and FHp subjects, independent of APOE4 status, gender, and age. Individuals with an ?4 allele had more regional atrophy in the frontal cortex compared to ?4 noncarriers.Conclusions
We conclude that FHm individuals without dementia have progressive gray matter volume reductions in select AD-vulnerable brain regions, specifically the precuneus and parahippocampal gyrus. These data complement and extend reports of regional cerebral metabolic differences and increases in amyloid-? burden in FHm subjects, which may be related to a higher risk for developing AD.
SUBMITTER: Honea RA
PROVIDER: S-EPMC3053329 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Progressive regional atrophy in normal adults with a maternal history of Alzheimer disease.
Neurology 20110301 9
<h4>Objective</h4>Beyond age, having a family history is the most significant risk factor for Alzheimer disease (AD). This longitudinal brain imaging study examines whether there are differential patterns of regional gray matter atrophy in cognitively healthy elderly subjects with (FH+) and without (FH-) a family history of late-onset AD.<h4>Methods</h4>As part of the KU Brain Aging Project, cognitively intact individuals with a maternal history (FHm, n = 11), paternal history (FHp, n = 10), or ...[more]