Voxel-Based Morphomerty study in patients with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease: population-based data from the Zabùt Aging Project

Abstract

Aims and objectives Compare the preliminary results of a voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analysis performed in patients with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in comparison to a control group with normal aging brain (NAB). Methods and materials 83 brain MRI scans were obtained a using 1.5T unit (Sag 3D T1w-FSPGR IR preped ASSET sequence was used for the VBM analysis that was performed with FSL’s sienax tool) during the Zabùt Aging Project (ZAP), a population-based, cohort study regarding aging and dementia conducted in Southern Italy. After the exclusion of subjects with severe leucoaraiosis, silent cerebral infarcts or any other findings that could affect the results, 58 suitale subjects (27 males and 31 females, mean age 72.95/SD6.66 (range 61-85); naMCI=21, nAD=19, nNAB=18) were included. The results were compared using t-test (p = 0.05).VBM result example. Top left: axial Multiple Planar Reconstruction (MPR). VBM extracted tissues: csf in blue (top center), gray matter in red (top right), white matter in yellow (bottom center) and all three components (bottom right). Bottom left (in pink) the result of the brain extraction process (FSL’s BET). Results Statistically significant differences were found between total gray matter volumes (TGMv) (p = 0.002) and total brain volume (TBv) (p = 0.004) in AD vs NAB; between TGMv (p = 0.005) and TBv (p = 0.004) in aMCI vs AD. No statistically significant differences were observed in VBM data between aMCI and NAB or between the white matter volumes within groups. Conclusion Our results, reflect what already reported the scientific literature and confirm the importance of VBM for the quantitative assessment of brain atrophy in subjects with cognitive impairment. The VBM prospective evaluation of aMCI subjects will help to clarify specific areas involved in AD-type neurodegenerative progression.