Progression of atrophy in Alzheimer's disease.

摘要

Basil Ridha and colleagues' study in this issue is an important addition to the research of imaging in Alzheimer's disease. The study was done by a group that has pioneered the methods for longitudinal analysis of MRI scans. In this work the researchers followed up carriers of autosomal-dominant mutations for Alzheimer's disease with serial MRI to track changes over time. On the basis of the data they gathered, they were able to generate hierarchical models to estimate the volume and atrophy rate differences between mutation carriers and controls in relation to when the disease was clinically diagnosed. By use of these models, Ridha and colleagues compared carriers with controls and report differences in rates of hippocampal atrophy at 5-5 years and whole-brain atrophy at 3-5 years before the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease.