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P4‐272: Columnar microstructural changes differ between Alzheimer's disease, cerebrovascular disease and frontotemporal dementia
Author(s) -
Chance Steven,
Veluw Susanne,
Ansorge Olaf,
Esiri Margaret
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
alzheimer's and dementia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.713
H-Index - 118
eISSN - 1552-5279
pISSN - 1552-5260
DOI - 10.1016/j.jalz.2013.08.053
Subject(s) - parahippocampal gyrus , frontotemporal dementia , planum temporale , dementia , psychology , frontotemporal lobar degeneration , cognitive reserve , dementia with lewy bodies , neuroscience , alzheimer's disease , inferior parietal lobule , gyrus , fusiform gyrus , superior temporal gyrus , temporal cortex , neuropathology , pathology , medicine , temporal lobe , disease , cognition , epilepsy , functional magnetic resonance imaging
Background:We have previously shown that the minicolumnar spacing of neurons in the cerebral cortex relates to cognitive ability, and that minicolumn thinning occurs in old age. We have suggested that this may offer an index of cognitive reserve. Further disruption of minicolumn organisation differentiates MCI from AD and demonstrates regionally selective correlations with IQ andMMSE score. The present study examined several cortical regions to see if minicolumn structure could also be used to differentiate other types of dementia: cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Methods: 18 cases of dementia with cerebrovascular pathology but limited AD pathology (low Braak staging) and 12 cases of TDP-43 positive frontotemporal dementia were assessed post-mortem. These were compared with previously assessed cases: 20 normally aged controls, 18 MCI subjects, and 20 AD patients. Minicolumnar width was assessed in parahippocampal gyrus (PHG), fusiform gyrus (FG), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), planum temporale (PT), and Heschl’s gyrus (HG). Overall ratings of Alzheimer’s type pathology (plaques and tangles) and vascular pathology were also determined. Results: Broadly similar regional differences were seen across all subjects with dlPFC and PHG having the widest minicolumns and HG the narrowest. In general, MCI shows thinning compared to controls and in AD this has a similar pattern, although significantly more severe. FTD showed a different pattern with the most severe thinning in dlPFC, PHG and FG but relative preservation in the superior temporal regions. CVD showed significant thinning in dlPFC and PHG, with relative preservation of the superior temporal regions, but also preservation in FG. Conclusions: The pattern of cytoarchitectural change in FTD is consistent with selective degeneration of prefrontal and medial/ventral temporal cortex, whereas in CVD the pattern may be consistent with the greater vulnerability of the vascular ’watershed’ regions. Region vulnerability measures of microstructure are being validated in post-mortem MRI of cortical areas.