DTI评价轻度认知障碍及轻中度阿尔茨海默病脑白质微细结构损害的研究

目的应用磁共振弥散张量成像(DTI)技术研究轻度认知障碍(MCI)及轻中度阿尔茨海默病(AD)患者脑白质微细结构的改变。方法对MCI患者、轻中度AD患者各12例及健康老年人12名(对照组)行常规MRI及DTI检查,测量其胼胝体压部、额叶、顶叶、颞叶、枕叶、内囊前肢及内囊后肢白质区部分各向异性分数(FA)和平均弥散率(MD)。将3组的FA、MD值进行比较,并与MMSE评分、单词回忆及单词再认评分进行相关性分析。结果 (1)MCI患者顶叶白质FA值为0.489±0.079,与对照组(0.558±0.079)相比下降(P0.05)。(2)AD患者额叶、顶叶及颞叶FA值分别为0.405±0.072、0.454±0.069和0.363±0.056,与对照组(分别为0.499±0.081、0.558±0.079和0.440±0.061)比较差异均有统计学意义(P0.05)。AD患者胼胝体压部、额叶及顶叶MD值分别为0.978±0.082、0.920±0.054和0.81 7±0.045,均高于对照组(分别为0.801±0.093、0.820±0.084、0.712±0.096)(P0.05)。AD、MCI两组内囊前、后肢及枕叶FA及MD值分别与健康对照组比较均无统计学差异(P0.05)。(3)3组顶叶、颞叶FA值与MMSE、单词回忆及单词再认评分均有相关性(分别r=0.869、-0.621、-0.759,均P0.01;r=0.446、-0.486、-0.361,均P0.05),胼胝体压部FA值与单词再认评分有相关性(r=-0.343,P0.05);3组胼胝体压部及顶叶MD值与MMSE、单词回忆及单词再认评分均有相关性(分别r=-0.612、0.547、0.586,均P0.01;r=-0.576、0.499、0.519,均P0.01),内囊前肢MD值与MMSE评分相关(r=-0.340,P0.05)。结论 MCI及轻中度AD患者存在脑白质选择性微细结构损害,且该损害出现在与高级皮层功能相关的脑区,而与初级功能相关的区域未见明显受损。     

皮质下缺血性血管性痴呆患者脑白质损害的磁共振弥散张量成像研究

目的:应用磁共振弥散张量成像技术(DTI)观察皮质下缺血性血管性痴呆(SIVD)患者脑白质损害程度,探讨DTI对SIVD白质损害的评估及与阿尔茨海默病(AD)鉴别诊断价值。方法:研究对象分为3组,分别是健康老年人(NC)、皮质下缺血性血管性痴呆(SIVD)患者、AD患者,每组各20例。行常规MR I和DTI扫描后,测定相同感兴趣区(RO I)的各向异性分数(FA)值和表观扩散系数(ADC)值进行比较。结果:SIVD组下额枕束、胼胝体膝部、胼胝体压部、上纵束等部位FA值下降,ADC值升高,与NC、AD组比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。与NC组比较,AD组前额叶、颞叶、海马、下额枕束、胼胝体膝部和扣带束等部位FA值降低,颞叶、海马等部位ADC值升高,两组差异具有显著性(P<0.05);结论:DTI可以用来评估痴呆患者白质损害的程度,SIVD患者以下额枕束、胼胝体膝部、胼胝体压部、上纵束等部位受累为主,可作为与AD鉴别的客观指标。     

轻度认知功能障碍与脑白质弥散张量成像的相关性研究

目的通过磁共振弥散张量成像研究不同区域脑白质损害与轻度认知功能(MCI)的关系。方法纳入2015年7月至2016年2月我院的住院患者56例为研究对象,其中MCI组34例,认知功能正常组22例。所有研究对象进行一般情况检查,完成神经心理学量表检测。通过头颅磁共振弥散张量成像(DTI)检查对不同脑区白质纤维进行部分各向异性(FA)值测量。结果 MCI组患者与认知功能正常组相比,右侧额叶FA值(0.335±0.068)、左侧颞叶白质FA值(0.391±0.032)及胼胝体膝部FA值(0.658±0.053)降低,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。将上述FA值和MMSE、Mo CA量表中各认知域进行典型相关分析,结果显示右侧额叶白质FA值与注意与计算力呈正相关,左侧颞叶白质和胼胝体膝部FA值与记忆力呈正相关(P0.05)。结论 MCI患者注意与计算力的障碍可能与右侧额叶白质损害有关,而左侧颞叶白质及胼胝体膝部白质的损害可能导致早期的记忆障碍。DTI可能成为超早期识别与诊断MCI的新方法。     

弥散张量成像对阿尔茨海默病脑白质改变的评价

目的分析阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer's disease,AD)脑白质结构改变及与认知功能的关系。方法对37例AD组和32例对照组行简易精神状态量表(mini-mental State examinationn,MMSE)评估和DTI扫描。采用基于全脑体素分析法对两组全脑白质各向异性(fractional anisotropy,FA)图进行比较,采用t检验分析FA值差异,并评估AD组MMSE评分与FA值相关性。结果 AD患者出现FA值下降区域广泛分布在右侧额叶、颞叶、枕叶、丘脑及双侧扣带回、胼胝体、楔前叶、顶叶下回、顶下小叶、缘上回及海马旁回(其中P0.001,未经校正的P值);当使用经FWE校正的P0.05后,AD患者右侧扣带回、左侧胼胝体、颞叶下回及双侧顶叶下回、额叶下回、楔前叶区域FA值较对照组显著下降。AD患者FA值下降与MMSE量表评分呈正相关,(P0.001,未经校正)。结论 AD患者存在特定脑区白质结构改变,并与认知功能损害程度呈正相关。     

弥散张量成像技术预测遗忘型轻度认知障碍患者向老年性痴呆转化的随访研究

目的:探讨弥散张量成像技术(diffusion tensor imaging,DTI)对遗忘型轻度认知功能障碍(aMCI)向老年性痴呆(AD)转化的预测作用。方法:41例aMCI患者(aMCI组)常规予核磁共振(MRI)和DTI扫描,测定感兴趣区的各向异性分数(fractional anisotropy,FA)和表观扩散系数(apparent diffusion coefficient,ADC),以20名老年健康志愿者作为对照(正常对照组)并随访1~3年。结果:与正常对照组比较,aMCI组41例患者中有22例扣带束FA基线值偏低(P0.05),随访1~3年后,其中有19例转化为AD;另外19例扣带束FA值正常的aMCI患者只有2例转化为AD。与非转化AD者比较,AD转化者前额叶、颞叶、海马、下额枕束、胼胝体膝部和扣带束等部位FA值降低(P均0.01),颞叶、海马等部位ADC值升高(P均0.05)。结论:DTI技术具有预测aMCI向AD转化的作用,aMCI患者扣带束FA值低可能是aMCI向AD转化的敏感指标。     

弥散张量成像在轻度认知功能障碍中的应用

轻度认知功能障碍（MCI）目前已经成为严重影响老年人健康的疾病，早期具有可逆性。近年来弥散张量成像（DTI）以其定量显示脑白质纤维束的优势，越来越多的应用于临床，成为了研究的热点。目前研究表明，MCI患者海马、穹隆、扣带回和胼胝体的DTI指标变化明显，可用于MCI的早期识别和病情评估及预测，且多个指标联用可能增加其准确性。MCI患者DTI表现与认知功能的下降程度具有相关性，尤其与记忆功能的相关性较为确定。MCI亚型中，遗忘型MCI （aMCI）发展为阿尔茨海默病（AD）的风险更高，其部分各向异性（FA）值越低、平均弥散度（ADC）值越高预示着转化为AD的可能性越大；DTI技术对AD与MCI患者脑白质的差异较为灵敏，AD的脑白质病变范围更广、程度更重。但目前关于DTI在MCI中的应用尚存在诸多问题，尚需进一步研究。     

稳定期双相障碍Ⅰ型患者认知功能损害与脑白质病变的研究

目的研究稳定期双相障碍Ⅰ型患者认知功能损害与脑白质病变的关系。方法共选择68例诊断双相障碍Ⅰ型稳定期患者,作为观察组,同期选择60例健康志愿者作为对照组;采用数字符号测验、数字广度测验、视觉图形再生测验、连线测验、言语流畅性测验、威斯康星卡片分类测验和汉诺塔测验7种测量工具评估认知功能,采用扩散张量成像(DTI)技术分析脑白质病变。结果观察组认知功能评估均差于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05)。观察组的胼胝体、颞叶和基底节区FA值明显低于对照组,相应ADC值则高于对照组,差异有统计学意义(P0.05);额叶、枕叶和小脑区域FA值和ADC值比较无差异(P0.05)。结论稳定期双相障碍Ⅰ型患者存在一定程度的认知功能损害,可能与胼胝体、颞叶和基底节区的脑白质病变有关。     

DTI技术与血清α-突触核蛋白用于评估帕金森病认知功能障碍的临床研究

目的通过检测帕金森病患者血清α-突触核蛋白水平和利用弥散张量技术来评估其脑白质结构改变,探讨帕金森病患者血清α-突触核蛋白及DTI脑白质结构改变与认知功能损害程度之间的关联性。方法共纳入60例帕金森病患者,其中认知功能正常组(PD-N)、轻度认知功能障碍组(PD-MCI)和痴呆组(PDD)各20例。采用MMSE和MoCA对患者认知功能进行评估。利用DTI技术对受试者不同脑区测定FA值。应用ELISA测定受试者血清α-突触核蛋白含量。结果 PD-MCI组右颞叶、右后扣带束及胼胝体膝部和PDD组左枕叶、左前扣带束及胼胝体压部等脑区白质的FA值分别低于PD-N组(均P 0. 05),经Logistic回归后胼胝体膝部和左侧扣带前束脑白质FA值的下降具有特异性。行Spearman相关显示:左额叶、右颞叶、左枕叶、左扣带前束、右扣带前束、胼胝体压部FA值与PD的MoCA评分呈负相关(均P 0. 05); PD患者血清α-突触核蛋白浓度与帕金森病患者MoCA评分呈正相关(P 0. 05)。结论 DTI技术能识别PD合并认知功能障碍患者脑部微结构改变,血清α-突触核蛋白与帕金森病认知功能障碍发生可能具有一定关系。     

阿尔茨海默病患者脑白质损害与认知功能的关系

目的用磁共振扩散张量成像(DTI)研究阿尔茨海默病(AD)患者脑白质损害的特点及其与认知功能改变的相关性。方法对16例AD患者和12名年龄及性别相当的健康老年人行DTI、T1液体衰减反转恢复序列(FLAIR)及T2-FLAIR检查,测量胼胝体膝部和压部、内囊前肢和后肢、额颞顶枕叶白质的部分各向异性分数值(FA)和平均弥散度(MD),分析FA、MD值与简易精神状态量表(MMSE)评分之间的相关关系。结果AD患者胼胝体压部、额叶、顶叶、颞叶FA值分别为0.602±0.043、0.270±0.034、0.294±0.043、0.302±0.032,与健康老人组相比显著下降(P<0.05),且与MMSE评分呈正相关关系,而内囊前后肢、枕叶、胼胝体膝部的FA值则无明显变化(P>0.05);胼胝体压部、顶叶白质的MD值分别为(0.918±0.029)、(0.826±0.015)×10-9m2/s,与健康老人组相比显著升高(P<0.01),且与MMSE评分呈负相关,而内囊前后肢、额叶、颞叶、枕叶和胼胝体膝部的MD值则无明显变化(P>0.05)。结论AD患者表现为脑白质的选择性损害,且损害程度与认知功能密切相关;这种选择性损害反映了AD病理机制中皮质-皮质及皮质-皮质下联系的丢失;DTI技术可以用来监测疾病的进展情况及评价AD治疗药物的临床疗效。     

磁共振扩散张量成像对轻型颅脑损伤的临床诊断价值

目的探讨磁共振(MR)扩散张量成像(DTI)在轻型颅脑损伤患者诊断中的价值。方法选择轻型颅脑损伤患者(病例组)和健康志愿者(对照组)各40例,病例组再分为有/无认知功能障碍亚组(分别为22例和18例),分别行MR DTI扫描,对病例组进行里蒙德脑震荡后综合征问卷(RPQ)评分,比较两组额叶白质、颞叶白质、内囊、胼胝体的部分异向性(FA)和表观扩散系数(ADC),并比较病例组有和无认知功能障碍患者的上述各项指标。结果病例组和对照组MRI常规扫描和DTI扫描均未见异常信号;病例组和对照组两侧额叶白质、颞叶白质、内囊、胼胝体膝部、压部的ADC值差异均无统计学意义(P0.05);病例组两侧额叶白质、颞叶白质、内囊及胼胝体压部的FA值均低于对照组(P0.05),RPQ评分高于对照组;病例组有认知功能障碍亚组两侧额叶、颞叶FA值低于无认知功能障碍亚组(P0.05)。结论轻型颅脑损伤患者存在脑组织损伤,FA值是判断脑组织损伤的敏感指标,DTI检查为轻型颅脑损伤的临床诊断提供了有力的依据。     

Multiple diffusion indices reveals white matter degeneration in Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment: a tract-based spatial statistics study

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease involving the decline of memory and other cognitive functions. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) represents a transition phase between normal aging and early AD. The degeneration patterns of the white matter across the brain in AD and MCI remain largely unclear. Here we used diffusion tensor imaging and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) to investigate white matter changes in multiple diffusion indices (e.g., fractional anisotropy, axial, radial and mean diffusivities) in both AD and MCI patients. Compared with the normal controls, the AD patients had reduced fractional anisotropy and increased axial, radial and mean diffusivities in widespread white matter structures, including the corpus callosum and the white matter of lateral temporal cortex, the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus and the fronto-parietal regions. Similar white matter regions with reduced anisotropy were also found in MCI patients but with a much less extent than in AD. Between the AD and MCI groups, there were significant differences in the axial and mean diffusivities of the white matter tracts adjacent to the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus without anisotropy changes. Taken together, our findings based upon multiple diffusion indices (FA, axial, radial and mean diffusivities) suggest distinct degeneration behaviors of the white matter in AD and MCI.     

Diffusion tensor imaging based white matter changes and antioxidant enzymes status for early identification of mild cognitive impairment

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is an early stage of dementia. The changes in white matter integrity and antioxidant enzymes levels are crucial in onset and progression to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To elucidate the changes in cognitive performance, white matter integrity, oxidative stress marker, for early detection of prodromal state of AD. Fifty cases of MCI and controls (55-75 years) were subjected to Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) followed by estimation of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and lipid peroxidation in serum of MCI and control population. The MMSE scores of MCI subjects were (28±2 - 22.6±1) as compared with controls (28±1- 29±1). DTI metrics fractional anisotropy (FA) values in right and left frontal lobe, fornix, corpus callosum, while apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values in right temporal lobe, hippocampus head, corpus callosum right, and forcep major were significantly altered in MCI as compared with controls. Superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase level were lower while lipid peroxidation marker malondialdehyde (MDA) was increased in patients with MCI as compared with controls. The study emphasized that changes in neuro-psychological performance, white matter integrity and antioxidant enzymes level provide early signature for diagnosis of MCI.     

Ultrastructural hippocampal and white matter alterations in mild cognitive impairment: a diffusion tensor imaging study

Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered to be a transitional stage between normal aging and dementia. In Alzheimer's disease (AD), white matter structural pathology is due to Wallerian degeneration and central angiopathy. However, in MCI patients, the presence and extent of white matter alterations as a possible correlate of impaired memory function and as predictor of subsequent progression to AD is not clarified yet. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) reveals the ultrastructural integrity of cerebral white matter tracts. Therefore, it could detect pathological processes that modify tissue integrity in patients with MCI. In our prospective study, conventional and diffusion tensor MR scans were obtained from 14 patients with MCI, 19 patients with AD, and 10 healthy controls. Mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were measured in temporal, frontal, parietal and occipital white matter regions as well as in the corpus callosum (genu and splenium) and the hippocampus. MCI patients showed higher MD values in the left centrum semiovale (p = 0.013; right: p = 0.026), in the left temporal (p = 0.006), the right temporal (p = 0.014) and the left hippocampal (p = 0.002) region as compared to the control group. FA values of MCI patients and controls did not differ significantly in any region. Compared to controls, AD patients had increased MD values in the left centrum semiovale (p = 0.012), the left parietal (p = 0.001), the right parietal (p = 0.028), the left temporal (p = 0.018), the right temporal (p = 0.011) and the left hippocampal region (p = 0.002). Decreased FA values were measured in the left temporal area (p = 0.017) and in the left hippocampus (p = 0.031) in AD patients compared to controls. FA and MD values did not differ significantly between AD and MCI patients. Elevated MD values indicating brain tissue alterations in MCI patients were found in regions that are typically involved in early changes due to AD, particularly the left hippocampus. The sensitivity of distinguishing MCI patients from controls was 71.4% (with a specificity set at 80%). Therefore, the DTI technique validates the MCI concept, and diffusion tensor MR measurement can be a helpful tool to quantify MCI pathology in vivo.     

Posterior cingulum white matter disruption and its associations with verbal memory and stroke risk in mild cognitive impairment

Medial temporal lobe and temporoparietal brain regions are among the earliest neocortical sites to undergo pathophysiologic alterations in Alzheimer's disease (AD), although the underlying white matter changes in these regions is less well known. We employed diffusion tensor imaging to evaluate early alterations in regional white matter integrity in participants diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The following regions of interests (ROIs) were examined: 1) anterior cingulum (AC); 2) posterior cingulum (PC); 3) genu of the corpus callosum; 4) splenium of the corpus callosum; and 5) as a control site for comparison, posterior limb of the internal capsule. Forty nondemented participants were divided into demographically-similar groups based on cognitive status (MCI: n = 20; normal control: n = 20), and fractional anisotropy (FA) estimates of each ROI were obtained. MCI participants showed greater posterior white matter (i.e., PC, splenium) but not anterior white matter (i.e., AC, genu) changes, after adjusting for age, stroke risk, and whole brain volume. FA differences of the posterior white matter were best accounted for by changes in radial but not axial diffusivity. PC FA was also significantly positively correlated with hippocampal volume as well as with performance on tests of verbal memory, whereas stroke risk was significantly correlated with genu FA and was unrelated to PC FA. When investigating subtypes of our MCI population, amnestic MCI participants showed lower PC white matter integrity relative to those with non-amnestic MCI. Findings implicate involvement of posterior microstructural white matter degeneration in the development of MCI-related cognitive changes and suggest that reduced FA of the PC may be a candidate neuroimaging marker of AD risk.     

White matter tract integrity in aging and Alzheimer's disease

The pattern of degenerative changes in the brain white matter (WM) in aging, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been under debate. Methods of image analysis are an important factor affecting the outcomes of various studies. Here we used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to obtain fractional anisotropy (FA) measures of the WM in healthy young (n = 8), healthy elderly (n = 22), MCI (n = 8), and AD patients (n = 16). We then applied "tract-based spatial statistics" (TBSS) to study the effects of aging, MCI, and AD on WM integrity. Our results show that changes in WM integrity (that is, decreases in FA) are different between healthy aging and AD: in healthy older subjects compared with healthy young subjects decreased FA was primarily observed in frontal, parietal, and subcortical areas whereas in AD, compared with healthy older subjects, decreased FA was only observed in the left anterior temporal lobe. This different pattern of decreased anatomical connectivity in normal aging and AD suggests that AD is not merely accelerated aging.     

Regional myo-inositol concentration in mild cognitive impairment Using 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging

The goal was to assess regional patterns of metabolite abnormalities in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer disease (AD) patients using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging at 1.5 Tesla. Fourteen MCI, 17 AD, and 16 healthy control (HC) subjects were studied. MCI was associated with higher myo-inositol (mIn) concentration in right parietal white matter compared with HC and lower mIn levels in frontal white matter compared with AD. AD was associated with higher mIn concentration in frontal and parietal white matter compared with HC. N-acetylaspartate (NAA) concentration of white matter was similar in all groups, whereas NAA concentration of gray matter showed a trend toward lower values in the right parietal lobe in AD compared with MCI and HC. A mIn increase in white matter in absence of significant NAA reduction suggests that mIn is a more robust and sensitive marker of white matter pathology in AD and MCI than NAA. Furthermore, the dissociation between mIn and NAA alterations in white matter could provide important information regarding the role of glial and neuronal damage in MCI and AD.     

Disruption of limbic white matter pathways in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: a DTI/FDG-PET study

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) affect the limbic system, causing medial temporal lobe (MTL) atrophy and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) hypometabolism. Additionally, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies have demonstrated that MCI and AD involve alterations in cerebral white matter (WM) integrity. Objectives: To test if (1) patients with MCI and AD exhibit decreases in the integrity of limbic WM pathways; (2) disconnection between PCC and MTL, manifested as disruption of the cingulum bundle, contributes to PCC hypometabolism during incipient AD. Methods: We measured fractional anisotropy (FA) and volume of the fornix and cingulum using DTI in 23 individuals with MCI, 21 with mild‐to‐moderate AD, and 16 normal control (NC) subjects. We also measured PCC metabolism using ¹⁸F‐fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG‐PET) in AD and MCI patients. Results: Fornix FA and volume were reduced in MCI and AD to a similar extent. Descending cingulum FA was reduced in AD while volume was reduced in MCI and even more so in AD. Both FA and volume of the fornix and descending cingulum reliably discriminated between NC and AD. Fornix FA and descending cingulum volume also reliably discriminated between NC and MCI. Only descending cingulum volume reliably discriminated between MCI and AD. In the combined MCI‐AD cohort, PCC metabolism directly correlated with both FA and volume of the descending cingulum. Conclusions: Disruption of limbic WM pathways is evident during both MCI and AD. Disconnection of the PCC from MTL at the cingulum bundle contributes to PCC hypometabolism during incipient AD. Hum Brain Mapp, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc     

Diffusion tensor imaging in Alzheimer disease and mild cognitive impairment

A wide range of imaging studies provides growing support for the potential role of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in evaluating microstructural white matter integrity in Alzheimer disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Our review aims to present DTI principles, post-processing and analysis frameworks and to report the results of particular studies.The distribution of AD-related white matter abnormalities is widely discussed in the light of deteriorated connectivity within certain tracts due to secondary white matter degeneration; primary alterations are also assumed to contribute to the pattern. The question whether it is more effective to assess the whole-brain diffusion or to directly concentrate on specific regions remains an interesting issue. Assessing white matter microstructure alterations, as evaluated by group-level differences of tensor-derived parameters, may be a promising neuroimaging tool for differential diagnosis between AD, MCI and other cognitive disorders, as well as being particularly helpful in the interpretation of underlying pathological processes.     

White matter predictors of cognitive functioning in older adults

Few studies have applied multiple imaging modalities to examine cognitive correlates of white matter. We examined the utility of T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) -derived white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and diffusion tensor imaging-derived fractional anisotropy (FA) to predict cognitive functioning among older adults. Quantitative MRI and neuropsychological evaluations were performed in 112 older participants from an ongoing study of the genetics of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in African Americans. Regional WMH volumes and FA were measured in multiple regions of interest. We examined the association of regional WMH and an FA summary score with cognitive test performance. Differences in WMH and FA were compared across diagnostic groups (i.e., normal controls, mild cognitive impairment, and probable AD). Increased WMH volume in frontal lobes was associated with poorer delayed memory performance. FA did not emerge as a significant predictor of cognition. White matter hyperintensity volume in the frontal and parietal lobes was increased in MCI participants and more so in AD patients relative to controls. These results highlight the importance of regionally distributed small vessel cerebrovascular disease in memory performance and AD among African American older adults. White matter microstructural changes, quantified with diffusion tensor imaging, appear to play a lesser role in our sample.