Does Alzheimer’s Disease Affect Hippocampal Asymmetry? Evidence from a Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Volumetric MRI Study

Vol. 19, No. 5-6, 2005

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Original Research Article

Does Alzheimer's Disease Affect Hippocampal Asymmetry? Evidence from a Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Volumetric MRI Study
Josephine Barnes^a, Rachael I. Scahill^a, Jonathan M. Schott^a, Chris Frost^{a, b}, Martin N. Rossor^{a, c}, Nick C. Fox^a

^aDementia Research Centre, Department of Clinical Neurology, Institute of Neurology, University College London,
^bMedical Statistics Unit, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and
^cDivision of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, UK

Address of Corresponding Author

Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 2005;19:338-344 (DOI: 10.1159/000084560)

Key Words

Hippocampus
Atrophy
Alzheimer's disease
Asymmetry
APOE
Cross-sectional
Longitudinal
Volumetry

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether Alzheimer's disease (AD) is associated with preferential atrophy of either the left or right hippocampus. Methods: We examined right-left asymmetry in hippocampal volume and atrophy rates in 32 subjects with probable AD and 50 age-matched controls. Hippocampi were measured on two serial volumetric MRI scans using a technique that minimizes laterality bias. Results: We found a non-significant trend for right > left (R > L) asymmetry in controls at both time points (R > L: 1.7%; CI: -0.3-3.7%; p = 0.1). AD subjects showed a similar non-significant trend for R > L asymmetry at baseline (R > L: 1.8%; CI: -1.9-5.5%; p = 0.32), but not at repeat (p = 0.739). Change in R/L ratio between visits in AD patients was significant (p = 0.02). The AD group had significantly higher variance in these ratios than the controls at baseline (p = 0.02), but not repeat (p = 0.06). AD patients had higher atrophy rates than controls (p < 0.001). Mean (CI) annualized atrophy rates for left and right hippocampi were 1.2% (0.5-1.8%) and 1.1% (0.5-1.8%) for the controls, and 4.6% (3.3-6.0%) and 6.3% (4.9-7.8%) for AD subjects. There was no significant asymmetry in atrophy rates in controls (p = 0.9), but borderline significantly higher atrophy rates in the right hippocampus of the AD group (p = 0.05) compared to the left. Presence of an APOEε4 allele had no significant effect on the size, asymmetry or atrophy rates in AD (p > 0.20). Conclusions: We report minor R > L asymmetry in hippocampal volumes in controls and present some evidence to suggest that there is a change in the natural R > L asymmetry during the progression of AD.

Author Contacts

Josephine Barnes
Dementia Research Centre, Box 16, Institute of Neurology
Queen Square, London, WC1N 3BG (UK)
Tel. +44 207 837 3611, ext 3804, Fax +44 207 676 2066
E-Mail j.barnes@dementia.ion.ucl.ac.uk

Article Information

Accepted: November 15, 2004
Published online: March 22, 2005
Number of Print Pages : 7
Number of Figures : 2, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 49

Medline Abstract (ID 15785035)

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