基于体素的遗忘型轻度认知障碍和轻度阿尔茨海默病全脑白质MR扩散张量成像分析

目的 采用基于体素的分析(VBA)方法研究遗忘型轻度认知障碍(aMCI)患者和轻度阿尔茨海默病(AD)患者全脑白质微观结构改变的特点及其与灰质萎缩模式的关系.方法 选取33例aMCI患者(aMCI组)、32例轻度AD患者(轻度AD组)和31名正常老年人(健康对照组),对全脑进行3.0 T DTI及三维快速扰相梯度反转回波(3DFSPGR)脉冲序列扫描.采用统计参数图(SPM)5软件对被试者的结构图像及各向异性(FA)图进行预处理,然后采用t检验对aMCI组、轻度AD组和正常对照组的全脑灰质体积及FA值进行基于体素的统计学比较,计算出有统计学意义的脑区.结果 与正常对照组比较,aMCI组的双侧额颞叶和左侧枕叶白质、左侧扣带前部、左侧顶下小叶、右侧脑室三角区外上方白质的FA值减低;轻度AD组的双侧额颞枕叶、海马旁白质、扣带前部、胼胝体、侧脑室三角区旁白质、顶下小叶、左侧颞于、左侧丘脑、右侧楔前叶FA值减低.基于体素的形态测量学(VBM),分析发现,aMCI患者组左侧海马、海马旁回、舌回、颞上回,双侧岛叶、颞中回出现了灰质萎缩;轻度AD患者组双侧海马、海马旁回、杏仁核、丘脑、额叶、颞叶、顶叶、枕叶皮质出现了灰质萎缩.aMCI与轻度AD患者组全脑白质FA值减低的模式与灰质萎缩模式不同.aMCI组与轻度AD组比较未发现具有统计学意义的FA值减低脑区.aMCI、轻度AD患者组全脑白质FA值与简易智能精神状态检查量表(MMSE)评分没有相关性.结论 基于体素的MR DTI全脑白质分析能够较全面、客观地揭示aMCI、轻度AD的脑白质损害的模式.aMCI、轻度AD患者白质损害的模式与灰质不同,提示脑白质病变是多种病理机制导致的.aMCI患者向轻度AD进展过程中,脑白质各向异性改变不显著,脑白质FA值的改变可能无法反映患者认知功能障碍的严重程度.

Abstract：

Objective To evaluate the microstructural integrity of white matter (WM) in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) using voxel-based analysis (VBA), and investigate the relationship between WM abnormalities and gray matter(GM) atrophy.Methods Thirty-three cases with aMCI, 32 cases with mild AD and 31 normal aging volunteers as control subjects were scanned on a 3.0 T MR system using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and three-dimensional spoiled gradient-recalled(3DSPGR) sequences. Fractional anisotropy (FA) maps and morphological images were preprocessed by SPM5 and voxel-based comparisons between the 2 patient groups and the control group were performed by t test. Results Relative to the control group, patients with aMCI showed significantly reduced FA value in bilateral frontal, temporal and left occipital WM, left anterior part of cingulum, left inferior parietal lobule, and the W M adjacent to the triangular part of the right lateral ventricle(k≥20 voxels).In mild AD,significantly reduced FA value was found in bilateral hippocampal,inferior parietal lobular,frontal,temporal,and occipital WM,bilateral corpus callosum,anterior part of cingulums,the WM adjacent to the triaangular part of the bilateral lateral ventricles,left temporal stem,left thalamus,right precuneus(k≥20 voxels).Significantly reduced GM volume was found in left hippocampus,parahippocampal gyrus,lingual gyrus and superior temporal gyrus,bilateral insulae and middle temporal gyri in aMCl group whencompared with control group(k≥50 voxels).In mild AD,significantly reduced GM volume was found in bilateral hippoeampi,parahippocampal gyri,amygdalae,thalami,temporal,parietal,frontal,occipital cortex(k≥50 voxels).The pattern of areas with reduced FA differs;from that of the GM volumetric reduction.No areas with significantlv reduced FA was detected in aMCl compared with mild AD. There was no significant correlation between FA value of WM in patient groups and Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)scores.Conclusions Voxel-based MRI DTI analysis of whole brain white matter can objectively reveal widespread white matter abnormalities in early-stage AD.The difierence between WM FA reduction pattern and GM volumetric reduction pattern indicates that the pathological WM changes in earlyslage AD were caused by multiple mechanisms. FA did not vary significantly in patients pr0gressing from aMCI to mild AD and can hardly reflect the severitv of cognitive function damage in these patients.

MR diffusion tensor imaging voxel-based analysis of whole brain white matter in patients with amnestic-type mild cognitive impairment and mild Alzheimer disease

Objective To evaluate the microstructural integrity of white matter (WM) in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) using voxel-based analysis (VBA), and investigate the relationship between WM abnormalities and gray matter(GM) atrophy.Methods Thirty-three cases with aMCI, 32 cases with mild AD and 31 normal aging volunteers as control subjects were scanned on a 3.0 T MR system using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and three-dimensional spoiled gradient-recalled(3DSPGR) sequences. Fractional anisotropy (FA) maps and morphological images were preprocessed by SPM5 and voxel-based comparisons between the 2 patient groups and the control group were performed by t test. Results Relative to the control group, patients with aMCI showed significantly reduced FA value in bilateral frontal, temporal and left occipital WM, left anterior part of cingulum, left inferior parietal lobule, and the W M adjacent to the triangular part of the right lateral ventricle(k≥20 voxels).In mild AD,significantly reduced FA value was found in bilateral hippocampal,inferior parietal lobular,frontal,temporal,and occipital WM,bilateral corpus callosum,anterior part of cingulums,the WM adjacent to the triaangular part of the bilateral lateral ventricles,left temporal stem,left thalamus,right precuneus(k≥20 voxels).Significantly reduced GM volume was found in left hippocampus,parahippocampal gyrus,lingual gyrus and superior temporal gyrus,bilateral insulae and middle temporal gyri in aMCl group whencompared with control group(k≥50 voxels).In mild AD,significantly reduced GM volume was found in bilateral hippoeampi,parahippocampal gyri,amygdalae,thalami,temporal,parietal,frontal,occipital cortex(k≥50 voxels).The pattern of areas with reduced FA differs;from that of the GM volumetric reduction.No areas with significantlv reduced FA was detected in aMCl compared with mild AD. There was no significant correlation between FA value of WM in patient groups and Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)scores.Conclusions Voxel-based MRI DTI analysis of whole brain white matter can objectively reveal widespread white matter abnormalities in early-stage AD.The difierence between WM FA reduction pattern and GM volumetric reduction pattern indicates that the pathological WM changes in earlyslage AD were caused by multiple mechanisms. FA did not vary significantly in patients pr0gressing from aMCI to mild AD and can hardly reflect the severitv of cognitive function damage in these patients.