Open AccessCharacterizing biomarker features of cognitively normal individuals with ventriculomegaly
Author(s) -
Li Xiaofeng,
Ba Maowen,
Ng Kok Pin,
Mathotaarachchi Sulantha,
Pascoal Tharick A.,
RosaNeto Pedro,
Gauthier Serge
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia: diagnosis, assessment and disease monitoring
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.497
H-Index - 37
ISSN - 2352-8729
DOI - 10.1016/j.dadm.2017.08.001
Subject(s) - ventriculomegaly , cerebrospinal fluid , biomarker , medicine , standardized uptake value , neuroimaging , psychology , neuropsychology , normal pressure hydrocephalus , asymptomatic , positron emission tomography , dementia , nuclear medicine , cognition , disease , neuroscience , chemistry , biochemistry , pregnancy , fetus , genetics , biology
The clinical significance of ventriculomegaly in cognitively normal elderly individuals remains unclear. Methods We selected cognitively normal individuals (n = 425) from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database and calculated Evans index (EI) based on the ratio of the frontal horn and skull diameter. We defined ventriculomegaly as EI ≥ 0.30, and the participants were stratified into EI ≥ 0.30 group and EI < 0.30 group. Neuropsychological, imaging, and fluid biomarker profiles between the two groups were then compared using regression models. Results A total of 96 (22.5%) individuals who had ventriculomegaly performed worse on the cognitive tests; showed smaller hippocampal volume but larger caudate, cingulate, and paracentral gyrus volumes; and displayed lower positron emission tomography [ 18 F]fluorodeoxyglucose standardized uptake value ratio but higher amyloid burden represented by higher [ 18 F]florbetapir standardized uptake value ratio and lower cerebrospinal fluid amyloid β 1–42 levels compared to those without ventriculomegaly. Discussion Asymptomatic ventriculomegaly might be an early imaging signature of preclinical Alzheimer's disease and/or normal pressure hydrocephalus.