Objective: To review the relevant literature on neuroimaging findings in aging and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). To review neuroimaging findings that predict the evolution of MCI to Alzheimer’s disease or other degenerative dementia. To summarize the most relevant findings in the time allotted for presentation.
Design: Literature review of well-designed, quantitative studies.
Materials and Methods: In addition to the author’s knowledge of the field, a MEDLINE search was carried out with the terms MRI, fMRI, PET, SPECT, mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease. One hundred and fifteen original publications were selected for review.
Results: As a group, subjects with mild cognitive impairment have patterns on several neuroimaging methods that differentiate them both from normal aged and from patients with Alzheimer’s disease. The most consistent abnormalities involve the entorhinal cortex of the medial temporal lobe and the parieto-temporal association cortex. Some of the findings suggests that it may become possible with neuroimaging techniques to determine with a reasonable degree of certainty which individuals with mild cognitive impairment will develop full-blown Alzheimer’s disease or other type of degenerative dementia. To carry out reliable genetic or neurobiological studies on MCI, it is essential to have neuroimaging data on the population being studied. The neuroimaging methods used to study MCI include structural MRI, functional MRI and metabolic or activation studies performed with PET. SPECT data are less reliable. Recently announced PET methods to detect brain amyloid deposition need more study.
For additional information, see: http://www.wfneurology.org/neuroimaging_masdeu.htm
Conclusion: Neuroimaging is clinically useful in the management of mild cognitive impairment and essential for translational studies.
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