Neuroscience
Neuropsychology Abstract of the Day: Hippocampal Function and Alzheimer's Disease
Hippocampal hyperactivation associated with cortical thinning in Alzheimer's disease signature regions in non-demented elderly adultsJournal of Neuroscience. 2011 Nov 30; 31(48): 17680-17688
Putcha D, Brickhouse M, O'Keefe K, Sullivan C, Rentz D, Marshall G, Dickerson B, Sperling R
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with functional and structural alterations in a distributed network of brain regions supporting memory and other cognitive domains. Functional abnormalities are present in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with evidence of early hyperactivity in medial temporal lobe regions, followed by failure of hippocampal activation as dementia develops. Atrophy in a consistent set of cortical regions, the "cortical signature of AD," has been reported at the stage of dementia, MCI, and even in clinically normal (CN) older individuals predicted to develop AD. Despite multiple lines of evidence for each of these findings, the relationship between this structural marker of AD-related neurodegeneration and this functional marker of the integrity of the episodic memory system has not yet been elucidated. We investigated this relationship in 34 nondemented older humans (CN, N = 18; MCI, N = 16). Consistent with previous studies, we found evidence of hippocampal hyperactivation in MCI compared with CN. Additionally, within this MCI group, increased hippocampal activation correlated with cortical thinning in AD-signature regions. Even within the CN group, increased hippocampal activity was negatively correlated with cortical thinning in a subset of regions, including the superior parietal lobule (r = -0.66; p < 0.01). These findings, across a continuum of nondemented and mildly impaired older adults, support the hypothesis that paradoxically increased hippocampal activity may be an early indicator of AD-related neurodegeneration in a distributed network.
PMID: 22131428 [PubMed - in process]
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Unusual Conference Advertising
ICAD 2008 FIGURE 1 (Mosconi et al., 2008). Representative cortical 18F-FDG PET patterns in NL, AD, DLB, and FTD. 3D-SSP maps and corresponding Z scores showing CMRglc reductions in clinical groups as compared with the NL database are displayed...
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The Overuse Theory Of Alzheimer's Disease
"Past and Future Self" by Austin Houldsworth Exploring the parallels between an expanding/contracting universe and human development.Shown at the 2006 Darklight Festival (among other places). View the 1 min video at perpetual art machine. As part of...
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Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Cortical Neuroanatomy Of Neuropsychological Deficits
The cortical neuroanatomy of neuropsychological deficits in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: A surface-based morphometric analysis Neuropsychologia. 2011 Oct 15; Ahn HJ, Seo SW, Chin J, Suh MK, Lee BH, Kim ST, Im K, Lee JM, Lee JH,...
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Neuropsychology Abstract Of The Day: Alzheimer's Disease (ad), Fmri, And Cognition
Diamond EL, Miller S, Dickerson BC, Atri A, Depeau K, Fenstermacher E, Pihlajamäki M, Celone K, Salisbury S, Gregas M, Rentz D, & Sperling RA. Relationship of fMRI activation to clinical trial memory measures in Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 2007 Sep...
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Abstract Of The Day: Donepezil (aricept) And Alzheimer Disease
Csernansky JG, Wang L, Miller JP, Galvin JE, & Morris JC. Neuroanatomical predictors of response to donepezil therapy in patients with dementia. Archives of Neurology. 2005 Nov; 62(11): 1718-1722. Alzheimer's Disease Research Center, and Department...
Neuroscience