Quantitative validation of a visual rating scale for frontal atrophy: associations with clinical status, APOE e4, CSF biomarkers and cognition

Quantifying Brain Atrophy Using a CSF-Focused Segmentation Approach

Background and Purpose

Brain atrophy, characterized by sulcal widening and ventricular enlargement, is a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease. Visual assessments are subjective and variable, while automated methods struggle with subtle intensity differences and standardization, highlighting limitations in both approaches. This study aimed to develop and evaluate a novel method focusing on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) regions by assessing segmentation accuracy, detecting stage-specific atrophy patterns, and testing generalizability to unstandardized datasets.

Methods

We utilized T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging data from 3,315 participants from Samsung Medical Center and 1,439 participants from other hospitals. Segmentation accuracy was evaluated using the Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), and W-scores were calculated for each region of interest (ROI) to assess stage-specific atrophy patterns.

Results

The segmentation demonstrated high accuracy, with average DSC values exceeding 0.9 for ventricular and hippocampal regions and above 0.8 for cortical regions. Significant differences in W-scores were observed across cognitive stages (cognitively unimpaired, mild cognitive impairment, dementia of Alzheimer's type) for all ROIs (all, p<0.05). Similar trends were observed in the images from other hospitals, confirming the algorithm's generalizability to datasets without prior standardization.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates the robustness and clinical applicability of a novel CSF-focused segmentation method for assessing brain atrophy. The method provides a scalable and objective framework for evaluating structural changes across cognitive stages and holds potential for broader application in neurodegenerative disease research and clinical practice.

Automated Scoring of Alzheimer's Disease Atrophy Scale with Subtype Classification Using Deep Learning-Based T1-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Image Segmentation

Background

Application of visual scoring scales for regional atrophy in Alzheimer's disease (AD) in clinical settings is limited by their high time cost and low intra/inter-rater agreement.

Objective

To provide automated atrophy scoring using objective volume driven from deep-learning segmentation methods for AD subtype classification using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods

We enrolled 3,959 participants (1,732 cognitively normal [CN], 1594 with mild cognitive impairment [MCI], and 633 with AD). The occupancy indices for each regional volume were calculated by dividing each volume by the size of the lateral and inferior ventricular volumes. MR images from 355 participants (119 CN, 119 MCI, and 117 AD) from three different centers were used for validation. Two neuroradiologists performed visual assessments of the medial temporal, posterior, and global cortical atrophy scores in the frontal lobe using T1-weighted MR images. Images were also analyzed using the deep learning-based segmentation software, Neurophet AQUA. Cutoff values for the three scores were determined using the data distribution according to age. The scoring results were compared for consistency and reliability.

Results

Four volumetric-driven scoring results showed a high correlation with the visual scoring results for AD, MCI, and CN. The overall agreement with human raters was weak-to-moderate for atrophy scoring in CN participants, and good-to-almost perfect in AD and MCI participants. AD subtyping by automated scores also showed usefulness as a research tool.

Conclusions

Determining AD subtypes using automated atrophy scoring for late-MCI and AD could be useful in clinical settings or multicenter studies with large datasets.

Relationship between Neuroimaging and Cognition in Frontotemporal Dementia: A [18 F]FDG PET and Structural MRI Study

Background

Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a clinically and pathologically heterogeneous condition with a prevalence comparable to Alzheimer's Disease for patients under sixty-five years of age. Gray matter (GM) atrophy and glucose hypometabolism are important biomarkers for the diagnosis and evaluation of disease progression in FTD. However, limited studies have systematically examined the association between cognition and neuroimaging in FTD using different imaging modalities in the same patient group.

Methods

We examined the association of cognition using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) with both GM volume and glucose metabolism using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scanning ([18F]FDG PET) in 21 patients diagnosed with FTD. Standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) using the brainstem as a reference region was the primary outcome measure for [18F]FDG PET. Partial volume correction was applied to PET data to account for disease-related atrophy.

Results

Significant positive associations were found between whole-cortex GM volume and MoCA scores (r = 0.461, p = 0.035). The association between whole-cortex [18F]FDG SUVR and MoCA scores was not Significant (r = 0.374, p = 0.094). GM volumes of the frontal cortex (r = 0.540, p = 0.011), caudate (r = 0.616, p = 0.002), and insula (r = 0.568, p = 0.007) were also Significantly correlated with MoCA, as were SUVR values of the insula (r = 0.508, p = 0.018), thalamus (r = 0.478, p = 0.028), and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) (r = 0.472, p = 0.030).

Discussion

Whole-cortex atrophy is associated with cognitive dysfunction, and this effect is larger than for cortical hypometabolism as measured with [18F]FDG PET. At the regional level, focal atrophy and/or hypometabolism in the frontal lobe, insula, PCC, thalamus, and caudate seem to imply the importance of these regions for the decline of cognitive function in FTD. Furthermore, these results highlight how functional and structural changes may not overlap and might contribute to cognitive dysfunction in FTD in different ways. Our findings provide insight into the relationships between structural, metabolic, and cognitive changes due to FTD.

Predicting amyloid-PET status in a memory clinic: The role of the novel antero-posterior index and visual rating scales

INTRODUCTION

Visual rating scales are increasingly utilized in clinical practice to assess atrophy in crucial brain regions among patients with cognitive disorders. However, their capacity to predict Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related pathology remains unexplored, particularly within a heterogeneous memory clinic population. This study aims to assess the accuracy of a novel visual rating assessment, the antero-posterior index (API) scale, in predicting amyloid-PET status. Furthermore, the study seeks to determine the optimal cohort-based cutoffs for the medial temporal atrophy (MTA) and parietal atrophy (PA) scales and to integrate the main visual rating scores into a predictive model.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective analysis of brain MRI and high-resolution TC scans from 153 patients with cognitive disorders who had undergone amyloid-PET assessments due to suspected AD pathology in a real-world memory clinic setting.

RESULTS

The API scale (cutoff ≥1) exhibited the highest accuracy (AUC = 0.721) among the visual rating scales. The combination of the cohort-based MTA and PA threshold with the API yielded favorable accuracy (AUC = 0.787). Analyzing a cohort of MCI/Mild dementia patients below 75 years of age, the API scale and the predictive model improved their accuracy (AUC = 0.741 and 0.813, respectively), achieving excellent results in the early-onset population (AUC = 0.857 and 0.949, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Our study emphasizes the significance of visual rating scales in predicting amyloid-PET positivity within a real-world memory clinic. Implementing the novel API scale, alongside our cohort-based MTA and PA thresholds, has the potential to substantially enhance diagnostic accuracy.

Sex-Specific Patterns of Cerebral Atrophy and Enlarged Perivascular Spaces in Patients with Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy and Dementia

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy is characterized by amyloid β deposition in leptomeningeal and superficial cortical vessels. Cognitive impairment is common and may occur independent of concomitant Alzheimer disease neuropathology. It is still unknown which neuroimaging findings are associated with dementia in cerebral amyloid angiopathy and whether they are modulated by sex. This study compared MR imaging markers in patients with cerebral amyloid angiopathy with dementia or mild cognitive impairment or who are cognitively unimpaired and explored sex-specific differences.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We studied 58 patients with cerebral amyloid angiopathy selected from the cerebrovascular and memory outpatient clinics. Clinical characteristics were collected from clinical records. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy was diagnosed on MR imaging on the basis of the Boston criteria. Visual rating scores for atrophy and other imaging features were independently assessed by 2 senior neuroradiologists.

RESULTS

Medial temporal lobe atrophy was higher for those with cerebral amyloid angiopathy with dementia versus those cognitively unimpaired (P = .015), but not for those with mild cognitive impairment. This effect was mainly driven by higher atrophy in men with dementia, compared with women with and without dementia (P = .034, P = .012; respectively) and with men without dementia (P = .012). Enlarged perivascular spaces in the centrum semiovale were more frequent in women with dementia versus men with and without dementia (P = .021, P = .011; respectively) and women without dementia (P = .011).

CONCLUSIONS

Medial temporal lobe atrophy was more prominent in men with dementia, whereas women showed a higher number of enlarged perivascular spaces in the centrum semiovale. Overall, this finding suggests differential pathophysiologic mechanisms with sex-specific neuroimaging patterns in cerebral amyloid angiopathy.

Differential response to donepezil in MRI subtypes of mild cognitive impairment

BACKGROUND

Donepezil is an approved therapy for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Results across clinical trials have been inconsistent, which may be explained by design-methodological issues, the pathophysiological heterogeneity of AD, and diversity of included study participants. We investigated whether response to donepezil differs in mild cognitive impaired (MCI) individuals demonstrating different magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) subtypes.

METHODS

From the Hippocampus Study double-blind, randomized clinical trial, we included 173 MCI individuals (donepezil = 83; placebo = 90) with structural MRI data, at baseline and at clinical follow-up assessments (6-12-month). Efficacy outcomes were the annualized percentage change (APC) in hippocampal, ventricular, and total grey matter volumes, as well as in the AD cortical thickness signature. Participants were classified into MRI subtypes as typical AD, limbic-predominant, hippocampal-sparing, or minimal atrophy at baseline. We primarily applied a subtyping approach based on continuous scale of two subtyping dimensions. We also used the conventional categorical subtyping approach for comparison.

RESULTS

Donepezil-treated MCI individuals showed slower atrophy rates compared to the placebo group, but only if they belonged to the minimal atrophy or hippocampal-sparing subtypes. Importantly, only the continuous subtyping approach, but not the conventional categorical approach, captured this differential response.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that individuals with MCI, with hippocampal-sparing or minimal atrophy subtype, may have improved benefit from donepezil, as compared with MCI individuals with typical or limbic-predominant patterns of atrophy. The newly proposed continuous subtyping approach may have advantages compared to the conventional categorical approach. Future research is warranted to demonstrate the potential of subtype stratification for disease prognosis and response to treatment.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrial.gov NCT00403520. Submission Date: November 21, 2006.

Sex differences in brain atrophy in dementia with Lewy bodies

Background and objectives

Sex is an important contributing factor to neuroimaging phenotypes in brain disorders. However, little is known about the contribution of sex differences to the neurodegeneration in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). We investigated sex differences in probable DLB patients by using both visual rating scales of lobar atrophy and automated estimations of regional atrophy.

Methods

We included 442 probable DLB patients from the European-DLB consortium and the Mayo Clinic who have magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data available. We assessed sex differences and the sex-by-age interaction in two largely independent samples through visual rating scales of lobar atrophy (n = 333; mean age 73 ± 8 years, 62% males) and automated regional estimations of gray matter (GM) volume and mean cortical thickness (CTh) (n = 165; mean age 69 ± 9 years, 72% males). We used binary logistic regression and ANOVA for statistical analysis.

Results

We found a statistically significantly higher likelihood of frontal atrophy measured by the global cortical atrophy-frontal subscale (GCA-F) in males (40% of males had an abnormal GCA-F score versus 29% of females, P-value = 0.006). Using automated estimations, we found smaller GM volumes in 6 cortical regions in males compared with females, as well as smaller GM volume in the entorhinal cortex and thinner olfactory cortices in females, compared with males. The sex-by-age interaction showed statistically significant results in 6 cortical volumes and 7 mean CTh estimations (P-value ≤ 0.05), accentuated in the right middle frontal gyrus (FDR-adjusted P-value = 0.047). These cross-sectional interactions indicated that while females have statistically significantly less atrophy than males at younger ages, differences become non-significant at older ages, with females showing the same level of atrophy than males around the age of 75.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates sex differences on brain atrophy in probable DLB. While male DLB patients have a more widespread pattern of cortical atrophy at younger ages, these sex differences tend to disappear with increasing age. Longitudinal studies will help establish these cross-sectional findings and inform on sex and age considerations to the use of MRI in clinical routine, as the field moves towards precision medicine.

Combining visual rating scales to identify prodromal Alzheimer's disease and Alzheimer's disease dementia in a population from a low and middle-income country

Background

Many low- and middle-income countries, including Latin America, lack access to biomarkers for the diagnosis of prodromal Alzheimer's Disease (AD; mild cognitive impairment due to AD) and AD dementia. MRI visual rating scales may serve as an ancillary diagnostic tool for identifying prodromal AD or AD in Latin America. We investigated the ability of brain MRI visual rating scales to distinguish between cognitively healthy controls, prodromal AD and AD.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted from a multidisciplinary neurology clinic in Lima, Peru using neuropsychological assessments, brain MRI and cerebrospinal fluid amyloid and tau levels. Medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA), posterior atrophy (PA), white matter hyperintensity (WMH), and MTA+PA composite MRI scores were compared. Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the curve (AUC) were determined.

Results

Fifty-three patients with prodromal AD, 69 with AD, and 63 cognitively healthy elderly individuals were enrolled. The median age was 75 (8) and 42.7% were men. Neither sex, mean age, nor years of education were significantly different between groups. The MTA was higher in patients with AD (p < 0.0001) compared with prodromal AD and controls, and MTA scores adjusted by age range (p < 0.0001) and PA scores (p < 0.0001) were each significantly associated with AD diagnosis (p < 0.0001) but not the WMH score (p=0.426). The MTA had better performance among ages <75 years (AUC 0.90 [0.85-0.95]), while adjusted MTA+PA scores performed better among ages>75 years (AUC 0.85 [0.79-0.92]). For AD diagnosis, MTA+PA had the best performance (AUC 1.00) for all age groups.

Conclusions

Combining MTA and PA scores demonstrates greater discriminative ability to differentiate controls from prodromal AD and AD, highlighting the diagnostic value of visual rating scales in daily clinical practice, particularly in Latin America where access to advanced neuroimaging and CSF biomarkers is limited in the clinical setting.

Characteristics of Cortical Atrophy and White Matter Lesions Between Dementia With Lewy Bodies and Alzheimer's Disease: A Case-Control Study

Introduction: Currently, there is still clinical overlap between dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients, which may affect the accuracy of the early diagnosis of DLB. For better diagnosis and prognosis, further exploration of local cortical atrophy patterns and white matter lesions is needed.

Methods: We reviewed the outpatient medical records of 97 DLB patients and 173 AD patients from January 2018 to September 2020 along with 30 matched outpatient clinic normal elderly people. MRI visual rating scales, including medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA), global cortical atrophy-frontal subscale (GCA-F), posterior atrophy (PA), Fazekas scale, Evans Index and cerebral microbleeds were evaluated and analyzed in DLB and AD patients with different severities and normal controls.

Results: Overall, patients with DLB had higher scores on all visual rating scales than the normal controls. Meanwhile, compared with AD, DLB had lower MTA scores in the mild to moderate groups (both p ≤ 0.001), but the GCA-F and PA scores were similar (all p > 0.05). The Fazekas scores in the moderate to severe DLB group were lower than those in the AD group (p = 0.024 and p = 0.027, respectively). In addition, the diagnostic performance and sensitivity of multiple imaging indicators for DLB were better than that of MTA alone (the combination of MTA, GCA-F, PA, Fazekas visual rating scales, AUC = 0.756, 95%CI: 0.700–0.813, sensitivity = 0.647, specificity = 0.804 and MTA visual rating scale, AUC = 0.726, 95%CI: 0.667–0.785, sensitivity = 0.497, specificity = 0.876, respectively).

Conclusion: The medial temporal lobe of DLB patients was relatively preserved, the frontal and parietal lobes were similarly atrophied to AD patients, and the white matter hyperintensity was lighter than that in AD patients. Combined multiple visual rating scales may provide a novel idea for the diagnosis of early DLB.

Neuroimaging Biomarkers Predicting the Efficacy of Multimodal Rehabilitative Intervention in the Alzheimer's Dementia Continuum Pathology

In this work we aimed to identify neural predictors of the efficacy of multimodal rehabilitative interventions in AD-continuum patients in the attempt to identify ideal candidates to improve the treatment outcome. Subjects in the AD continuum who participated in a multimodal rehabilitative treatment were included in the analysis [n = 82, 38 Males, mean age = 76 ± 5.30, mean education years = 9.09 ± 3.81, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) mean score = 23.31 ± 3.81]. All subjects underwent an MRI acquisition (1.5T) at baseline (T0) and a neuropsychological evaluation before (T0) and after intervention (T1). All subjects underwent an intensive multimodal cognitive rehabilitation (8–10 weeks). The MMSE and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) scores were considered as the main cognitive and behavioral outcome measures, and Delta change scores (T1–T0) were categorized in Improved (ΔMMSE > 0; ΔNPI < 0) and Not Improved (ΔMMSE ≤ 0; ΔNPI ≥ 0). Logistic Regression (LR) and Random Forest classification models were performed including neural markers (Medial Temporal Brain; Posterior Brain (PB); Frontal Brain (FB), Subcortical Brain indexes), neuropsychological (MMSE, NPI, verbal fluencies), and demographical variables (sex, age, education) at baseline. More than 50% of patients showed a positive effect of the treatment (ΔMMSE > 0: 51%, ΔNPI < 0: 52%). LR model on ΔMMSE (Improved vs. Not Improved) indicate a predictive role for MMSE score (p = 0.003) and PB index (p = 0.005), especially the right PB (p = 0.002) at baseline. The Random Forest analysis correctly classified 77% of cognitively improved and not improved AD patients. Concerning the NPI, LR model on ΔNPI (Improved vs. Not Improved) showed a predictive role of sex (p = 0.002), NPI (p = 0.005), PB index (p = 0.006), and FB index (p = 0.039) at baseline. The Random Forest reported a classification accuracy of 86%. Our data indicate that cognitive and behavioral status alone are not sufficient to identify best responders to a multidomain rehabilitation treatment. Increased neural reserve, especially in the parietal areas, is also relevant for the compensatory mechanisms activated by rehabilitative treatment. These data are relevant to support clinical decision by identifying target patients with high probability of success after rehabilitative programs on cognitive and behavioral functioning.

Honorific Speech Impairment: A Characteristic Sign of Frontotemporal Dementia

BACKGROUND

Individuals with the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) exhibit various levels of abulia, disinhibition, impaired judgment, and decline in executive function. Empirical evidence has shown that individuals with bvFTD also often exhibit difficulty using honorific speech, which expresses respect to another party or addressee.

OBJECTIVE

To analyze differences in the ability to use honorific speech among individuals with bvFTD, individuals with dementia of the Alzheimer type (AD dementia), and individuals with normal cognition (NC).

METHOD

A total of 53 native Korean speakers (13 bvFTD, 20 AD dementia, and 20 NC) completed an experimental honorific speech task (HST) that involved both expressive and receptive tasks. We analyzed the number of correct responses and error patterns separately for an expressive task and for a receptive task.

RESULTS

The bvFTD group had significantly fewer correct responses on the HST compared with the AD dementia and NC groups. The bvFTD group exhibited more misjudgment errors in identifying nonhonorific speech as honorific speech in the expressive task, and significantly longer response times in the receptive task, than the AD dementia and NC groups. Significant associations were identified between HST scores and cortical atrophy in the temporal and frontotemporal lobes.

CONCLUSION

A decline in the ability to use honorific speech may be a diagnosable behavioral and psychiatric symptom for bvFTD in Korean-speaking individuals. This decline in individuals with bvFTD could be attributed to multiple factors, including social manners (politeness) and impaired social language use ability (pragmatics).

Causal structural covariance network revealing atrophy progression in Alzheimer's disease continuum

The structural covariance network (SCN) has provided a perspective on the large‐scale brain organization impairment in the Alzheimer's Disease (AD) continuum. However, the successive structural impairment across brain regions, which may underlie the disrupted SCN in the AD continuum, is not well understood. In the current study, we enrolled 446 subjects with AD, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or normal aging (NA) from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database. The SCN as well as a casual SCN (CaSCN) based on Granger causality analysis were applied to the T1‐weighted structural magnetic resonance images of the subjects. Compared with that of the NAs, the SCN was disrupted in the MCI and AD subjects, with the hippocampus and left middle temporal lobe being the most impaired nodes, which is in line with previous studies. In contrast, according to the 194 subjects with records on CSF amyloid and Tau, the CaSCN revealed that during AD progression, the CaSCN was enhanced. Specifically, the hippocampus, thalamus, and precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) were identified as the core regions in which atrophy originated and could predict atrophy in other brain regions. Taken together, these findings provide a comprehensive view of brain atrophy in the AD continuum and the relationships among the brain atrophy in different regions, which may provide novel insight into the progression of AD.

Brain Atrophy Subtypes and the ATN Classification Scheme in Alzheimer's Disease

INTRODUCTION

We investigated the association between atrophy subtypes of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the ATN classification scheme, and key demographic and clinical factors in 2 cohorts with different source characteristics (a highly selective research-oriented cohort, the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative [ADNI]; and a naturalistic heterogeneous clinically oriented cohort, Karolinska Imaging Dementia Study [KIDS]).

METHODS

A total of 382 AD patients were included. Factorial analysis of mixed data was used to investigate associations between AD subtypes based on brain atrophy patterns, ATN profiles based on cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, and age, sex, Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), cerebrovascular disease (burden of white matter signal abnormalities, WMSAs), and APOE genotype.

RESULTS

Older patients with high WMSA burden, belonging to the typical AD subtype and showing A+T+N+ or A+T+N- profiles clustered together and were mainly from ADNI. Younger patients with low WMSA burden, limbic-predominant or minimal atrophy AD subtypes, and A+T-N- or A+T-N+ profiles clustered together and were mainly from KIDS. APOE ε4 carriers more frequently showed the A+T-N- and A+T+N- profiles.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings align with the recent framework for biological subtypes of AD: the combination of risk factors, protective factors, and brain pathologies determines belonging of AD patients to distinct subtypes.

The sex-specific effect of the apolipoprotein E allele and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene polymorphism on the biochemical, anatomical, and cognitive profiles of patients clinically diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's disease

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to evaluate the sex-specific effect of apolipoprotein E (APOE) alleles and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T polymorphism on the biochemical, anatomical, and cognitive profiles of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients.

METHODS

The patient (followed-up for at least 2 years) medical records, which comprised of data on plasma homocysteine and folate levels, lipid profile, HbA1c, MTHFR C677T genotype, APOE allele type, mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and clinical dementia rating (CDR) scores, and brain scans, were retrospectively analyzed. Two trained neurologists scored the white matter lesions (Fazekas scale), medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA), and microbleeds using brain magnetic resonance imaging scans.

RESULTS

This study included 574 patients clinically diagnosed with probable AD (average age, 73.2 years; mean MMSE score, 10.05). The effect of sex on all parameters was evaluated. The triglyceride (TG) and homocysteine levels and the MTA and Fazekas scores were higher in female APOE-ε4/ε4 carriers than in women without APOE-ε4. The TG and homocysteine levels were lower in men with the MTHFR CC allele than in those with the MTHFR TT allele. In contrast, MTHFR polymorphism and APOE-ε4 alleles were not significantly correlated with anatomical lesions and rate of decline in the MMSE and CDR scores.

CONCLUSIONS

We demonstrated the sex-specific effect of the APOE allele and MTHFR polymorphism on the serological and anatomical biomarkers in AD patients. The APOE allele and MTHFR mutations did not directly affect cognitive progression, but differentially affected other biochemical factors, between the sexes. These findings will aid in devising novel preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Frontal hypometabolism in neurocognitive disorder with behavioral disturbance

Criteria for the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD) include decreased frontal metabolism. FDG-PET was used to investigate whether patients with neurocognitive disorder and behavioral disturbance (bvNCD) who did not fulfill three bvFTD criteria had characteristic brain metabolic pattern. Methods: Patients were referred from memory clinic to nuclear medicine for differential diagnosis of NCD with dysexecutive syndrome and predominant mild frontal atrophy. Patients were classified into two groups before FDG-PET, probable bvFTD (n = 25) or bvNCD (n = 27) when only two bvFTD criteria were met. Results: Voxel-based and multivariate PLS analyses of FDG-PET did not show significant between-group difference at inclusion. After 4.8 years of follow-up, most patients with probable bvFTD received the same diagnosis, 3 remained very stable and one participant was given a psychiatric diagnosis. Five patients with bvNCD fulfilled criteria for probable bvFTD at 4.4 years mean follow up, while 2 participants remained very stable and 3 received alternative neurological or psychiatric diagnoses. When initial FDG-PET were compared between groups stratified at follow up (26 bvFTD versus 17 bvNCD), there was a trend (p<.001uncorrected) for lower prefrontal with relatively preserved premotor metabolism in bvFTD compared to bvNCD. Twelve bvNCD participants had neuropsychological testing before inclusion. They all presented executive dysfunction and normal visuospatial performance, and most (n = 9) had memory encoding impairment. Conclusion: Frontal hypometabolism was observed in a dysexecutive presentation of frontal neurodegenerative disorder (bvNCD) that did not fulfill all clinical criteria for bvFTD.

Molecular and Anatomical Imaging of Dementia With Lewy Bodies and Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration

Dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD) are common causes of dementia. Early diagnosis of both conditions is challenging due to clinical and radiological overlap with other forms of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease (AD). Structural and functional imaging combined can aid differential diagnosis and help to discriminate DLB or FTLD from other forms of dementia. Imaging of DLB involves the use of ¹²³I-FP-CIT SPECT and ¹²³I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (¹²³I-MIBG), both of which have an established role distinguishing DLB from AD. AD is also characterised by more pronounced atrophy of the medial temporal lobe structures when compared to DLB and these can be assessed at MR using the Medial Temporal Atrophy Scale. ¹⁸F-FDG-PET is used as a supportive biomarker for the diagnoses of DLB and can distinguish DLB from AD with high accuracy. Polysomnography and electroencephalography also have established roles in the diagnoses of DLB. FTLD is a heterogenous group of neurodegenerative disorders characterised pathologically by abnormally aggregated proteins. Clinical subtypes include behavioral variant FTD (bvFTD), primary progressive aphasia (PPA), which can be subdivided into semantic variant PPA (svPPA) or nonfluent agrammatic PPA (nfaPPA) and FTD associated with motor neuron disease (FTD-MND). Structural imaging is often the first step in making an image supported diagnoses of FTLD. Regional patterns of atrophy can be assessed on MR and graded according to the global cortical atrophy scale. FTLD is typically associated with atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes. The patterns of atrophy are associated with the specific clinical subtypes, underlying neuropathology and genetic mutations although there is significant overlap. ¹⁸F-FDG-PET is useful for distinguishing FTLD from other forms of dementia and focal areas of hypometabolism can often precede atrophy identified on structural MR imaging. There are currently no biomarkers with which to unambiguously diagnose DLB or FTLD and both conditions demonstrate a wide range of heterogeneity. A combined approach of structural and functional imaging improves diagnostic accuracy in both conditions.

The Effect of Cerebral Small Vessel Disease on the Subtypes of Mild Cognitive Impairment

Objectives: Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is the most common vascular cause of dementia, and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an intermediate state between dementia and normal cognitive aging. The present study investigated the main imaging features of CSVD on different MCI subtypes in memory clinics. Methods: A total of 236 patients with MCI and 85 healthy controls were included. One hundred nine amnestic MCI-multiple domains (amMCI), 38 amnestic MCI-single domain (asMCI), 36 non-amnestic MCI-multiple domains (namMCI), and 53 non-amnestic MCI-single domain (nasMCI) patients were diagnosed. All participants were evaluated with the cognitive assessments and imaging features including white matter hyperintensity (WMH), enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS), cerebral microbleeds (CMBs), and cerebral atrophy according to a standard procedure. Results: The patients with amMCI, namMCI, and nasMCI had more high-grade basal ganglia EPVS compared with healthy controls, while the percentages of high-grade basal ganglia EPVS in the patients with amMCI were also more than those in patients with asMCI, namMCI, and nasMCI. There were more high-grade centrum semiovale EPVS in patients with amMCI in comparison with all other groups. The patients with amMCI and namMCI had more percentages of severe deep and periventricular WMH and deep CMBs compared with healthy controls. All MCI groups had higher scores of the medial temporal lobe atrophy than healthy controls, whereas the scores of the amMCI group were also higher than those of the namMCI and nasMCI groups. Conclusions: There were varied neuroimaging features of CSVD including cerebral atrophy in different MCI groups, which meant that vascular mechanism contributed to the prodromal stage of dementia.

The combined effect of amyloid-β and tau biomarkers on brain atrophy in dementia with Lewy bodies

BACKGROUND

Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related pathology is frequently found in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). However, it is unknown how amyloid-β and tau-related pathologies influence neurodegeneration in DLB. Understanding the mechanisms underlying brain atrophy in DLB can improve our knowledge about disease progression, differential diagnosis, drug development and testing of anti-amyloid and anti-tau therapies in DLB.

OBJECTIVES

We aimed at investigating the combined effect of CSF amyloid-β42, phosphorylated tau and total tau on regional brain atrophy in DLB in the European DLB (E-DLB) cohort.

METHODS

86 probable DLB patients from the E-DLB cohort with CSF and MRI data were included. Random forest was used to analyze the association of CSF biomarkers (predictors) with visual rating scales for medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA), posterior atrophy (PA) and global cortical atrophy scale-frontal subscale (GCA-F) (outcomes), including age, sex, education and disease duration as extra predictors.

RESULTS

DLB patients with abnormal MTA scores had abnormal CSF Aβ42, shorter disease duration and older age. DLB patients with abnormal PA scores had abnormal levels of CSF Aβ42 and p-tau, older age, lower education and shorter disease duration. Abnormal GCA-F scores were associated with lower education, male sex, and older age, but not with any AD-related CSF biomarker.

CONCLUSIONS

This study shows preliminary data on the potential combined effect of amyloid-β and tau-related pathologies on the integrity of posterior brain cortices in DLB patients, whereas only amyloid-β seems to be related to MTA. Future availability of α-synuclein biomarkers will help us to understand the effect of α-synuclein and AD-related pathologies on brain integrity in DLB.

Visual rating versus volumetry of regional brain atrophy and longitudinal changes over a 5-year period in an elderly population

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of our study was to compare visual rating and volumetry of brain atrophy in an elderly population over a 5-year period and compare findings with cognitive test results.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Two hundred and one subjects were examined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. Visual rating and volumetry were performed in all subjects at ages 75 and 80. Cognitive function at both time points was assessed with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Trail Making Tests A and B (TMT-A and TMT-B). Changes in visual rating and volumetry were compared with changes in cognitive test.

RESULTS

A correlation was found between visual rating of medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA) and hippocampal volumetry at both time points (rs = -.42 and rs = -.49, p < .001, respectively). The correlation between visual rating of posterior atrophy (PA); frontal atrophy (F-GCA) and volumetry of these brain regions was significant only at age 80 (rs = -.16, p = .02 for PA and rpb = .19, p = .006 for F-GCA). Visual rating showed only a minimal progression of regional atrophy at age 80, whereas volumetry showed 2%-5% decrease in volume depending on brain region. Performance in the MMSE, TMT-A, and TMT-B was virtually unchanged between ages 75 and 80.

CONCLUSION

We found a mild age-associated decrease in regional brain volumes in this healthy cohort with well-preserved cognitive functions. Visual assessment may not be sufficient for detecting mild progression of brain atrophy due to normal aging, whereas volumetry is more sensitive to capture these subtle changes.

The cholinergic system in subtypes of Alzheimer's disease: an in vivo longitudinal MRI study

BACKGROUND

The heterogeneity within Alzheimer's disease (AD) seriously challenges the development of disease-modifying treatments. We investigated volume of the basal forebrain, hippocampus, and precuneus in atrophy subtypes of AD and explored the relevance of subtype stratification in a small clinical trial on encapsulated cell biodelivery (ECB) of nerve growth factor (NGF) to the basal forebrain.

METHODS

Structural MRI data was collected for 90 amyloid-positive patients and 69 amyloid-negative healthy controls at baseline, 6-, 12-, and 24-month follow-up. The effect of the NGF treatment was investigated in 10 biopsy-verified AD patients with structural MRI data at baseline and at 6- or 12-month follow-up. Patients were classified as typical, limbic-predominant, hippocampal-sparing, or minimal atrophy AD, using a validated visual assessment method. Volumetric analyses were performed using a region-of-interest approach.

RESULTS

All AD subtypes showed reduced basal forebrain volume as compared with the healthy controls. The limbic-predominant subtype showed the fastest basal forebrain atrophy rate, whereas the minimal atrophy subtype did not show any significant volume decline over time. Atrophy rates of the hippocampus and precuneus also differed across subtypes. Our preliminary data from the small NGF cohort suggest that the NGF treatment seemed to slow the rate of atrophy in the precuneus and hippocampus in some hippocampal-sparing AD patients and in one typical AD patient.

CONCLUSIONS

The cholinergic system is differentially affected in distinct atrophy subtypes of AD. Larger studies in the future should confirm that this differential involvement of the cholinergic system may contribute to subtype-specific response to cholinergic treatment. Our preliminary findings suggest that future clinical trials should target specific subtypes of AD, or at least report treatment effects stratified by subtype.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01163825. Registered 14 July 2010.

Subtypes of Alzheimer's Disease Display Distinct Network Abnormalities Extending Beyond Their Pattern of Brain Atrophy

Different subtypes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) with characteristic distributions of neurofibrillary tangles and corresponding brain atrophy patterns have been identified using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). However, the underlying biological mechanisms that determine this differential expression of neurofibrillary tangles are still unknown. Here, we applied graph theoretical analysis to structural MRI data to test the hypothesis that differential network disruption is at the basis of the emergence of these AD subtypes. We studied a total of 175 AD patients and 81 controls. Subtyping was done using the Scheltens' scale for medial temporal lobe atrophy, the Koedam's scale for posterior atrophy, and the Pasquier's global cortical atrophy scale for frontal atrophy. A total of 89 AD patients showed a brain atrophy pattern consistent with typical AD; 30 patients showed a limbic-predominant pattern; 29 patients showed a hippocampal-sparing pattern; and 27 showed minimal atrophy. We built brain structural networks from 68 cortical regions and 14 subcortical gray matter structures for each AD subtype and for the controls, and we compared between-group measures of integration, segregation, and modular organization. At the global level, modularity was increased and differential modular reorganization was detected in the four subtypes. We also found a decrease of transitivity in the typical and hippocampal-sparing subtypes, as well as an increase of average local efficiency in the minimal atrophy and hippocampal-sparing subtypes. We conclude that the AD subtypes have a distinct signature of network disruption associated with their atrophy patterns and further extending to other brain regions, presumably reflecting the differential spread of neurofibrillary tangles. We discuss the hypothetical emergence of these subtypes and possible clinical implications.

AVRA: Automatic visual ratings of atrophy from MRI images using recurrent convolutional neural networks

Quantifying the degree of atrophy is done clinically by neuroradiologists following established visual rating scales. For these assessments to be reliable the rater requires substantial training and experience, and even then the rating agreement between two radiologists is not perfect. We have developed a model we call AVRA (Automatic Visual Ratings of Atrophy) based on machine learning methods and trained on 2350 visual ratings made by an experienced neuroradiologist. It provides fast and automatic ratings for Scheltens' scale of medial temporal atrophy (MTA), the frontal subscale of Pasquier's Global Cortical Atrophy (GCA-F) scale, and Koedam's scale of Posterior Atrophy (PA). We demonstrate substantial inter-rater agreement between AVRA's and a neuroradiologist ratings with Cohen's weighted kappa values of κw = 0.74/0.72 (MTA left/right), κw = 0.62 (GCA-F) and κw = 0.74 (PA). We conclude that automatic visual ratings of atrophy can potentially have great scientific value, and aim to present AVRA as a freely available toolbox.

The usefulness of visual rating of posterior atrophy in predicting rapid cognitive decline in Alzheimer disease: A preliminary study

BACKGROUND

Approximately 10% to 30% of Alzheimer disease (AD) patients progress rapidly in severity and become more dependent on caregivers. Although several studies have investigated whether imaging biomarkers such as medial temporal atrophy (MTA) and posterior atrophy (PA) are useful for predicting the rapid progression of AD, their results have been inconsistent.

OBJECTIVE

The study aims to investigate the association of visually rated MTA and PA with rapid disease progression in AD.

METHODS

This was a retrospective cohort study of 159 AD patients who were initially diagnosed with mild AD and were followed for 1 year to determine whether they progressed rapidly (a decrease of three points or more on the Mini-Mental State Examination over 1 year). We used 5-point and 4-point visual rating scales to assess MTA and PA, respectively. MTA and PA scores for each patient were dichotomized as normal (without atrophy) or abnormal (atrophy). We performed a logistic regression analysis to determine the odds ratios (ORs) of MTA and PA for rapid disease progression with adjustment for covariates.

RESULTS

Within the study population, 47 (29.6%) patients progressed rapidly. Visual assessment of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans revealed that 112 patients (70.4%) showed MTA, whereas 80 patients (50.3%) showed PA. The ORs with 95% confidence intervals for MTA and PA were 1.825 (0.819-4.070) and 2.844 (1.378-5.835), respectively. The association of visually assessed PA, but not MTA, with rapid progression was significant after adjustment for covariates.

CONCLUSION

In patients with mild AD, visual assessment of PA exhibits independent predictive value for rapid disease progression.

Cognitive Profiles and Atrophy Ratings on MRI in Senior Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment

In this cross-sectional study, we sought to describe cognitive and neuroimaging profiles of Memory clinic patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI). 51 MCI patients and 51 controls, matched on age, sex, and socio-economic status (SES), were assessed with an extensive neuropsychological test battery that included a measure of intelligence (General Ability Index, "GAI," from WAIS-IV), and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MCI subtypes were determined after inclusion, and z-scores normalized to our control group were generated for each cognitive domain in each MCI participant. MR-images were scored by visual rating scales. MCI patients performed significantly worse than controls on 23 of 31 cognitive measures (Bonferroni corrected p = 0.001), and on 8 of 31 measures after covarying for intelligence (GAI). Compared to nonamnestic MCI patients, amnestic MCI patients had lower test results in 13 of 31 measures, and 5 of 31 measures after co-varying for GAI. Compared to controls, the MCI patients had greater atrophy on Schelten's Medial temporal lobe atrophy score (MTA), especially in those with amnestic MCI. The only structure-function correlation that remained significant after correction for multiple comparisons was the MTA-long delay recall domain. Intelligence operationalized as GAI appears to be an important moderator of the neuropsychological outcomes. Atrophy of the medial temporal lobe, based on MTA scores, may be a sensitive biomarker for the functional episodic memory deficits associated with MCI.

The A/T/N biomarker scheme and patterns of brain atrophy assessed in mild cognitive impairment

The objective of this study was to evaluate the A/T/N biomarker scheme in relation with brain atrophy patterns in individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Of the 154 participants with MCI, 74 progressed to AD within 36-months, and 80 remained stable. In addition, 101 cognitively healthy participants and 102 participants with AD were included. The A/T/N classification was assessed with cerebrospinal fluid markers. Each individual was rated as either positive (abnormal) or negative (normal) on each biomarker. Brain atrophy was assessed with visual ratings from magnetic resonance imaging. None of the individuals with MCI progressed to AD if they had a negative "A" biomarker in conjunction with minimal atrophy. In contrary, several individuals with MCI progressed to AD if they had a positive "A" biomarker in conjunction with minimal atrophy. Numerous individuals with MCI showed inconsistency in the neurodegeneration domain ("N") regarding t-tau and atrophy. The assessment of the A/T/N classification scheme in addition with brain atrophy patterns in MCI, increases the knowledge of the clinical trajectories and the variability within the neurodegeneration domain. This emphasises that individuals with MCI display heterogeneous longitudinal patterns closely connected to their biomarker profiles, which could have important clinical implications.

The contribution of small vessel disease to subtypes of Alzheimer's disease: a study on cerebrospinal fluid and imaging biomarkers

We investigated whether subtypes of Alzheimer's disease (AD), that is, typical, limbic-predominant, hippocampal-sparing, and minimal atrophy AD, had a specific signature of small vessel disease and neurodegeneration. Four hundred twenty-three clinically diagnosed AD patients were included (161 typical, 121 limbic-predominant, 70 hippocampal-sparing, 71 minimal atrophy). One hundred fifty-six fulfilled a biomarkers-based AD diagnosis. White matter hyperintensities and cerebral microbleeds (CMB) had the highest prevalence in limbic-predominant AD, and the lowest prevalence in minimal atrophy AD. CMB existed evenly in lobar and deep brain areas in limbic-predominant, typical, and hippocampal-sparing AD. In minimal atrophy AD, CMB were mainly located in brain lobar areas. Perivascular spaces in the centrum semiovale were more prevalent in typical AD. Small vessel disease contributed to the prediction of Mini-Mental State Examination. Minimal atrophy AD showed highly pathological levels of cerebrospinal fluid Aß_1-42, total tau, and phosphorylated tau, in the absence of overt brain atrophy. Cerebral amyloid angiopathy seems to have a stronger contribution to hippocampal-sparing and minimal atrophy AD, whereas hypertensive arteriopathy may have a stronger contribution to typical and limbic-predominant AD.

Dual tracer tau PET imaging reveals different molecular targets for 11C-THK5351 and 11C-PBB3 in the Alzheimer brain

Purpose

Several tau PET tracers have been developed, but it remains unclear whether they bind to the same molecular target on the heterogeneous tau pathology. In this study we evaluated the binding of two chemically different tau-specific PET tracers (¹¹C-THK5351 and ¹¹C-PBB3) in a head-to-head, in vivo, multimodal design.

Methods

Nine patients with a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment or probable Alzheimer’s disease and cerebrospinal fluid biomarker evidence supportive of the presence of Alzheimer’s disease brain pathology were recruited after thorough clinical assessment. All patients underwent imaging with the tau-specific PET tracers ¹¹C-THK5351 and ¹¹C-PBB3 on the same day, as well as imaging with the amyloid-beta-specific tracer ¹¹C-AZD2184, a T1-MRI sequence, and neuropsychological assessment.

Results

The load and regional distribution of binding differed between ¹¹C-THK5351 and ¹¹C-PBB3 with no statistically significant regional correlations observed between the tracers. The binding pattern of ¹¹C-PBB3, but not that of ¹¹C-THK5351, in the temporal lobe resembled that of ¹¹C-AZD2184, with strong correlations detected between ¹¹C-PBB3 and ¹¹C-AZD2184 in the temporal and occipital lobes. Global cognition correlated more closely with ¹¹C-THK5351 than with ¹¹C-PBB3 binding. Similarly, cerebrospinal fluid tau measures and entorhinal cortex thickness were more closely correlated with ¹¹C-THK5351 than with ¹¹C-PBB3 binding.

Conclusion

This research suggests different molecular targets for these tracers; while ¹¹C-PBB3 appeared to preferentially bind to tau deposits with a close spatial relationship to amyloid-beta, the binding pattern of ¹¹C-THK5351 fitted the expected distribution of tau pathology in Alzheimer’s disease better and was more closely related to downstream disease markers.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00259-018-4012-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Electroencephalography Is a Good Complement to Currently Established Dementia Biomarkers

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Dementia biomarkers that are accessible and easily applicable in nonspecialized clinical settings are urgently needed. Quantitative electroencephalography (qEEG) is a good candidate, and the statistical pattern recognition (SPR) method has recently provided promising results. We tested the diagnostic value of qEEG-SPR in comparison to cognition, structural imaging, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers.

METHODS

A total of 511 individuals were recruited from the multicenter NORD EEG study [141 healthy controls, 64 subjective cognitive decline, 124 mild cognitive impairment, 135 Alzheimer's disease (AD), 15 dementia with Lewy bodies/Parkinson's disease with dementia (DLB/PDD), 32 other dementias]. The EEG data were recorded in a standardized way. Structural imaging data were visually rated using scales of atrophy in the medial temporal, frontal, and posterior cortex.

RESULTS

qEEG-SPR outperformed structural imaging, cognition, and CSF biomarkers in DLB/PDD diagnosis, outperformed structural imaging in AD diagnosis, and improved the differential diagnosis of AD. In addition, qEEG-SPR allowed differentiation of two clinically different AD subtypes.

CONCLUSION

Adding qEEG to the diagnostic workup substantially increases the detection of AD pathology even in pre-dementia stages and improves differential diagnosis. EEG could serve as a good complement to currently established dementia biomarkers since it is cheap, noninvasive, and extensively applied outside academic centers.

MRI-assessed atrophy subtypes in Alzheimer's disease and the cognitive reserve hypothesis

BACKGROUND/AIMS

MRI assessment of the brain has demonstrated four different patterns of atrophy in patients with Alzheimer's disease dementia (AD): typical AD, limbic-predominant AD, hippocampal-sparing AD, and a subtype with minimal atrophy, previously referred to as no-atrophy AD. The aim of the present study was to identify and describe the differences between these four AD subtypes in a longitudinal memory-clinic study.

METHODS

The medial temporal lobes, the frontal regions, and the posterior regions were assessed with MRI visual rating scales to categorize 123 patients with mild AD according to ICD-10 and NINCDS-ADRDA criteria and the clinical dementia rating scale (CDR) into atrophy subtypes. Demographic data, neuropsychological measures, cerebrospinal-fluid biomarkers, and progression rate of dementia at two-year follow-up were compared between the groups.

RESULTS

Typical AD was found in 59 patients (48%); 29 (24%) patients had limbic-predominant AD; 19 (15%) had hippocampal-sparing AD; and 16 (13%) belonged to the group with minimal atrophy. No differences were found regarding cognitive test results or progression rates between the different subtypes. Using adjusted logistic regression analysis, we found that the patients in the minimal-atrophy group were less educated, had a lower baseline CDR sum of boxes score, and had higher levels of amyloid β in the cerebrospinal fluid.

CONCLUSION

Previous results concerning the prevalence and the similar phenotypic expressions of the four AD subtypes were confirmed. The main finding was that patients with minimal atrophy as assessed by MRI had less education than the other AD subtypes and that this could support the cognitive reserve hypothesis and, at least in part, explain the lower degree of atrophy in this group. Patients with less formal education might present with clinically typical AD symptoms before they have positive biomarkers of AD and this finding might challenge suggested biomarker-based criteria for AD.

Distinct subtypes of Alzheimer's disease based on patterns of brain atrophy: longitudinal trajectories and clinical applications

Atrophy patterns on MRI can reliably predict three neuropathological subtypes of Alzheimer’s disease (AD): typical, limbic-predominant, or hippocampal-sparing. A method to enable their investigation in the clinical routine is still lacking. We aimed to (1) validate the combined use of visual rating scales for identification of AD subtypes; (2) characterise these subtypes at baseline and over two years; and (3) investigate how atrophy patterns and non-memory cognitive domains contribute to memory impairment. AD patients were classified as either typical AD (n = 100), limbic-predominant (n = 33), or hippocampal-sparing (n = 35) by using the Scheltens’ scale for medial temporal lobe atrophy (MTA), the Koedam’s scale for posterior atrophy (PA), and the Pasquier’s global cortical atrophy scale for frontal atrophy (GCA-F). A fourth group with no atrophy was also identified (n = 30). 230 healthy controls were also included. There was great overlap among subtypes in demographic, clinical, and cognitive variables. Memory performance was more dependent on non-memory cognitive functions in hippocampal-sparing and the no atrophy group. Hippocampal-sparing and the no atrophy group showed less aggressive disease progression. Visual rating scales can be used to identify distinct AD subtypes. Recognizing AD heterogeneity is important and visual rating scales may facilitate investigation of AD heterogeneity in clinical routine.

Recent publications from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative: Reviewing progress toward improved AD clinical trials

INTRODUCTION

The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) has continued development and standardization of methodologies for biomarkers and has provided an increased depth and breadth of data available to qualified researchers. This review summarizes the over 400 publications using ADNI data during 2014 and 2015.

METHODS

We used standard searches to find publications using ADNI data.

RESULTS

(1) Structural and functional changes, including subtle changes to hippocampal shape and texture, atrophy in areas outside of hippocampus, and disruption to functional networks, are detectable in presymptomatic subjects before hippocampal atrophy; (2) In subjects with abnormal β-amyloid deposition (Aβ+), biomarkers become abnormal in the order predicted by the amyloid cascade hypothesis; (3) Cognitive decline is more closely linked to tau than Aβ deposition; (4) Cerebrovascular risk factors may interact with Aβ to increase white-matter (WM) abnormalities which may accelerate Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression in conjunction with tau abnormalities; (5) Different patterns of atrophy are associated with impairment of memory and executive function and may underlie psychiatric symptoms; (6) Structural, functional, and metabolic network connectivities are disrupted as AD progresses. Models of prion-like spreading of Aβ pathology along WM tracts predict known patterns of cortical Aβ deposition and declines in glucose metabolism; (7) New AD risk and protective gene loci have been identified using biologically informed approaches; (8) Cognitively normal and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subjects are heterogeneous and include groups typified not only by "classic" AD pathology but also by normal biomarkers, accelerated decline, and suspected non-Alzheimer's pathology; (9) Selection of subjects at risk of imminent decline on the basis of one or more pathologies improves the power of clinical trials; (10) Sensitivity of cognitive outcome measures to early changes in cognition has been improved and surrogate outcome measures using longitudinal structural magnetic resonance imaging may further reduce clinical trial cost and duration; (11) Advances in machine learning techniques such as neural networks have improved diagnostic and prognostic accuracy especially in challenges involving MCI subjects; and (12) Network connectivity measures and genetic variants show promise in multimodal classification and some classifiers using single modalities are rivaling multimodal classifiers.

DISCUSSION

Taken together, these studies fundamentally deepen our understanding of AD progression and its underlying genetic basis, which in turn informs and improves clinical trial design.

Imaging biomarkers of dementia: recommended visual rating scales with teaching cases

Abstract

The diagnostic work up of dementia may benefit from structured reporting of CT and/or MRI and the use of standardised visual rating scales. We advocate a more widespread use of standardised scales as part of the workflow in clinical and research evaluation of dementia. We propose routine clinical use of rating scales for medial temporal atrophy (MTA), global cortical atrophy (GCA) and white matter hyperintensities (WMH). These scales can be used for evaluation of both CT and MRI and are efficient in routine imaging assessment in dementia, and may improve the accuracy of diagnosis. Our review provides detailed imaging examples of rating increments in each of these scales and a separate teaching file. The radiologist should relate visual ratings to the clinical assessment and other biomarkers to assist the clinician in the diagnostic decision.

Teaching points

• Clinical dementia diagnostics would benefit from structured radiological reporting.

• Standardised rating scales should be used in dementia assessment.

• It is important to relate imaging findings to the clinically suspected diagnosis.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13244-016-0521-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Measuring Global Brain Atrophy with the Brain Volume/Cerebrospinal Fluid Index: Normative Values, Cut-Offs and Clinical Associations

BACKGROUND

Global brain atrophy is present in normal aging and different neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is becoming widely used to monitor disease progression.

SUMMARY

The brain volume/cerebrospinal fluid index (BV/CSF index) is validated in this study as a measurement of global brain atrophy. We tested the ability of the BV/CSF index to detect global brain atrophy, investigated the influence of confounders, provided normative values and cut-offs for mild, moderate and severe brain atrophy, and studied associations with different outcome variables. A total of 1,009 individuals were included [324 healthy controls, 408 patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and 277 patients with AD]. Magnetic resonance images were segmented using FreeSurfer, and the BV/CSF index was calculated and studied both cross-sectionally and longitudinally (1-year follow-up). Both AD patients and MCI patients who progressed to AD showed greater global brain atrophy compared to stable MCI patients and controls. Atrophy was associated with older age, larger intracranial volume, less education and presence of the ApoE ε4 allele. Significant correlations were found with clinical variables, CSF biomarkers and several cognitive tests.

KEY MESSAGES

The BV/CSF index may be useful for staging individuals according to the degree of global brain atrophy, and for monitoring disease progression. It also shows potential for predicting clinical changes and for being used in the clinical routine.