Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
Alzheimers Dement. 2023 Sep;19(9):3806-3814. doi: 10.1002/alz.13023. Epub 2023 Mar 12.
Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) graph theory may help detect subtle functional connectivity changes affecting memory prior to impairment.
Cognitively normal apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 carriers/noncarriers underwent longitudinal cognitive assessment and one-time MRI. The relationship of left/right hippocampal connectivity and memory trajectory were compared between carriers/noncarriers.
Steepness of verbal memory decline correlated with decreased connectivity in the left hippocampus, only among APOE ε4 carriers. Right hippocampal metrics were not correlated with memory and there were no significant correlations in the noncarriers. Verbal memory decline correlated with left hippocampal volume loss for both carriers and noncarriers, with no other significant volumetric findings.
Findings support early hippocampal dysfunction in intact carriers, the AD disconnection hypothesis, and left hippocampal dysfunction earlier than the right. Combining lateralized graph theoretical metrics with a sensitive measure of memory trajectory allowed for detection of early-stage changes in APOE ε4 carriers before symptoms of mild cognitive impairment are present.
Graph theory connectivity detects preclinical hippocampal changes in APOE ε4 carriers. The AD disconnection hypothesis was supported in unimpaired APOE ε4 carriers. Hippocampal dysfunction starts asymmetrically on the left.
静息态功能磁共振成像(fMRI)图论可能有助于在认知障碍发生前检测到影响记忆的细微功能连接变化。
认知正常载脂蛋白 E(APOE)ε4 携带者/非携带者接受了纵向认知评估和一次性 MRI。比较了携带者/非携带者左/右海马连接与记忆轨迹的关系。
言语记忆衰退的陡峭程度与左海马连接的降低相关,仅在 APOE ε4 携带者中。右海马指标与记忆无关,非携带者中也没有显著相关性。对于携带者和非携带者,言语记忆下降与左海马体积减少相关,没有其他显著的体积变化。
研究结果支持完整携带者的早期海马功能障碍、AD 分离假说以及左海马功能障碍早于右海马。将偏侧化图论指标与记忆轨迹的敏感测量相结合,可在轻度认知障碍出现之前检测到 APOE ε4 携带者的早期变化。
图论连接检测到 APOE ε4 携带者的临床前海马变化。AD 分离假说在未受损的 APOE ε4 携带者中得到支持。海马功能障碍不对称地始于左侧。