| Abstrakt: |
Background: Structural imaging based on magnetic resonance, specifically the measurement of hippocampal volumes, has been found to serve as a useful biomarker to assess the severity and progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Differences across stages, including the preclinical, where objective signs can not be clinically measured yet, have been reported in many studies. However, it would be useful for clinicians and researchers, not only to have the knowledge that these differences exist and could be used as a biomarker, but also to have access to an age‐related normative barometer for each stage of the disease. The purpose of this study is to provide a normative database of hippocampal volumes at the different stages of the AD continuum, to provide an easy, age‐adjusted determination of where an individual’s hippocampal volume lies within the distribution, as well as an accessible comparison standpoint for other studies assessing other disorders. Method: Magnetic resonance imaging scans were performed to 589 Spanish individuals (age 68.15 ± 8.74): 332 healthy controls (HC: age 64.12 ± 8.69), 98 who did not exhibit any objectively measurable neuropsychological impairment, but presented subjective cognitive complaints (SCD: age 72.57 ± 5.40), 143 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI: age 73.50 ± 5.28) and 16 participant with diagnosed AD (AD: age 76.75 ± 5.99). Result: Percentiles for average hippocampal volume were calculated across age, separately for each diagnostic subgroup. In addition, potential differences attributable to the method of choice were explored, as well as differences associated to sex or presence of different alleles of the gen APOE, related with AD. Conclusion: This study provides a normative database for hippocampal volume as a function of age, at different stages of the AD continuum, to be used as reference both in clinical and research settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
