Unraveling Brain Microstructure Differences in Alzheimer’s Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment

Published on August 12, 2022

Imagine your brain is a vast ocean, with different regions representing unique ecosystems. Researchers have used a special imaging technique called diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) to explore the microstructure of these brain regions in individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and normal cognition. By comparing the mean diffusion (MD) and mean kurtosis (MK) in 12 different regions of interest, they were able to identify significant differences between the groups. The hippocampus, often referred to as the memory center of the brain, showed the strongest correlation with AD progression and was the most sensitive parameter for distinguishing between AD patients, MCI patients, and cognitively normal individuals. This study suggests that DKI has the potential to be a non-invasive biomarker for AD, allowing for early detection and intervention. To dive deeper into the fascinating world of brain microstructure and its implications for neurodegenerative diseases, check out the full research article!

Objective: Our study aimed to explore the differences in brain microstructure in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), as well as in individuals with normal cognition using diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI) to identify a potential non-invasive biomarker of AD.
Methods: A total of 61 subjects were included in our study, including 20 subjects diagnosed with AD, 21 patients diagnosed with amnestic MCI, and 20 cognitively normal individuals. We acquired magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and DKI images were processed. 12 regions of interest were drawn, and various parameters were measured and analyzed using SPSS version 11.0 software.
Results: Comparative analysis showed that differences in brain regions in terms of mean diffusion (MD) and mean kurtosis (MK) between groups were the most marked. Precuneus MD, temporal MK, precuneus MK, and hippocampal MK were significantly correlated with neuropsychological test scores. Hippocampal MK showed the strongest correlation with the medial temporal lobe atrophy score (r = −0.510), and precuneus MD had the strongest correlation with the Koedam score (r = 0.463). The receiver operating curve analysis revealed that hippocampal MK exhibited better diagnostic efficacy than precuneus MD for comparisons between any group pair.
Conclusion: DKI is capable of detecting differences in brain microstructure between patients with AD, patients with MCI, and cognitively normal individuals. Moreover, it compensates for the deficiencies of conventional MRI in detecting pathological changes in microstructure before the appearance of macroscopic atrophy. Hippocampus MK was the most sensitive single parameter map for differentiating AD patients, MCI patients, and cognitively normal individuals.

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