Voxel-based Morphometry of Whole Brain Gray Matter in Patients with aMCI and Mild Alzheimer's Disease

Aim:To study the pattern of volume changes of the whole brain gray matter in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment(aMCI) and mild Alzheimer's disease(AD) by voxel-based morphometry (VBM).Methods:33 patients with aMCI,32 patients with mild AD and 31 normal aging volunteers as control subjects were enrolled in the study.Gray matter volume differences of the whole brain were assessed using SPM5-based DARTEL toolbox to make VBM comparison between the patients and the control group.Results: The volume of the left hippocampus,parahippocampal gyrus,lingual gyrus and superior temporal gyrus, bilateral insulae and middle temporal gyri,etc.in the aMCI patient group was significantly smaller than that in the control group(P0.05,FDR corrected,K≥50 voxels).The volume of the bilateral hippocampi, parahippocampal gyri,amygdalae,thalami,temporo-parietal gyri and frontal,occipital cortex,etc.in the mild AD patients group was significantly smaller than that in the control group(P0.05,FDR corrected P0.05,FDR corrected,K≥50 voxels).Conclusion:VBM can reveal widespread volumetric reduction of gray matter in early-stage Alzheimer's disease with the advantage of objectivity.Detection of the atrophy of the left hippocampus is helpful in the early diagnosis of AD.