Hippocampal atrophy in relapsing-remitting and primary progressive MS: a comparative study

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (9) ◽  
pp. 1083-1090 ◽  
Author(s):  
VM Anderson ◽  
LK Fisniku ◽  
Z. Khaleeli ◽  
MM Summers ◽  
SA Penny ◽  
...  

Background: In multiple sclerosis (MS), demyelination and neuroaxonal damage are seen in the hippocampus, and MRI has revealed hippocampal atrophy. Objectives: To investigate and compare hippocampal volume loss in patients with relapsing—remitting MS (RRMS) and primary progressive MS (PPMS) using manual volumetry, and explore its association with memory dysfunction. Methods: Hippocampi were manually delineated on volumetric MRI of 34 patients with RRMS, 23 patients with PPMS and 18 controls. Patients underwent neuropsychological tests of verbal and visuospatial recall memory. Linear regression was used to compare hippocampal volumes between subject groups, and to assess the association with memory function. Results: Hippocampal volumes were smaller in MS patients compared with controls, and were similar in patients with RRMS and PPMS. The mean decrease in hippocampal volume in MS patients was 317 mm3 (9.4%; 95% CI 86 to 549; p = 0.008) on the right and 284 mm3 (8.9%; 95% CI 61 to 508; p = 0.013) on the left. A borderline association of hippocampal volume with memory performance was observed only in patients with PPMS. Conclusion: Hippocampal atrophy occurs in patients with RRMS and PPMS. Factors additional to hippocampal atrophy may impact on memory performance.

2019 ◽  
Vol 90 (9) ◽  
pp. 965-974 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clare Loane ◽  
Georgios P D Argyropoulos ◽  
Adriana Roca-Fernández ◽  
Carmen Lage ◽  
Fintan Sheerin ◽  
...  

ObjectiveLimbic encephalitis associated with antibodies to components of the voltage-gated potassium channel complex (VGKCC-Ab-LE) often leads to hippocampal atrophy and persistent memory impairment. Its long-term impact on regions beyond the hippocampus, and the relationship between brain damage and cognitive outcome, are poorly understood. We investigated the nature of structural and functional brain abnormalities following VGKCC-Ab-LE and its role in residual memory impairment.MethodA cross-sectional group study was conducted. Twenty-four VGKCC-Ab-LE patients (20 male, 4 female; mean (SD) age 63.86 (11.31) years) were recruited post-acutely along with age- and sex-matched healthy controls for neuropsychological assessment, structural MRI and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI). Structural abnormalities were determined using volumetry and voxel-based morphometry; rs-fMRI data were analysed to investigate hippocampal functional connectivity (FC). Associations of memory performance with neuroimaging measures were examined.ResultsPatients showed selective memory impairment. Structural analyses revealed focal hippocampal atrophy within the medial temporal lobes, correlative atrophy in the mediodorsal thalamus, and additional volume reduction in the posteromedial cortex. There was no association between regional volumes and memory performance. Instead, patients demonstrated reduced posteromedial cortico-hippocampal and inter-hippocampal FC, which correlated with memory scores (r = 0.553; r = 0.582, respectively). The latter declined as a function of time since the acute illness (r = -0.531).ConclusionVGKCC-Ab-LE results in persistent isolated memory impairment. Patients have hippocampal atrophy with further reduced mediodorsal thalamic and posteromedial cortical volumes. Crucially, reduced FC of remaining hippocampal tissue correlates more closely with memory function than does regional atrophy.


2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (13) ◽  
pp. 1705-1712 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hanneke E Hulst ◽  
Menno M Schoonheim ◽  
Quinten Van Geest ◽  
Bernard MJ Uitdehaag ◽  
Frederik Barkhof ◽  
...  

Background: Memory impairment is frequent in multiple sclerosis (MS), but it is unclear what functional brain changes underlie this cognitive deterioration. Objective: To investigate functional hippocampal activation and connectivity, in relation to memory performance in MS. Methods: Structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging data were acquired for 57 MS patients and 28 healthy controls (HCs), yielding hippocampal measures of volume, lesions, functional activation during a memory task and functional connectivity at rest. Memory function was based on two subtests of a larger neuropsychological test battery and related to hippocampal neuroimaging measures, using linear regression. Results: Hippocampal volume was lower in MS patients, as compared to HCs. In MS, hippocampal activation during the task was increased in cognitively preserved, but decreased in cognitively impaired, patients. Increased hippocampal connectivity was detected in MS patients, as compared to HCs, between the left hippocampus and the right posterior cingulate. Memory impairment in MS was explained (adjusted R2 = 0.27) by male gender, decreased hippocampal activation and increased hippocampal connectivity ( p = 0.001). Conclusions: Decreased activation of the hippocampus, increased connectivity and male gender were associated with worse memory performance in MS. These results indicate that increased activation and increased connectivity do not always coincide, and relate differently to cognitive dysfunction in MS.


Brain ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Berron ◽  
Jacob W Vogel ◽  
Philip S Insel ◽  
Joana B Pereira ◽  
Long Xie ◽  
...  

Abstract In Alzheimer’s disease, postmortem studies have shown that the first cortical site where neurofibrillary tangles appear is the transentorhinal region, a subregion within the medial temporal lobe that largely overlaps with area 35, and the entorhinal cortex. Here we used tau-PET imaging to investigate the sequence of tau pathology progression within the human medial temporal lobe and across regions in the posterior-medial system. Our objective was to study how medial temporal tau is related to functional connectivity, regional atrophy, and memory performance. We included 215 β-amyloid negative cognitively unimpaired, 81 β-amyloid positive cognitively unimpaired and 87 β-amyloid positive individuals with mild cognitive impairment, who each underwent [18]F-RO948 tau and [18]F-flutemetamol amyloid PET imaging, structural T1-MRI and memory assessments as part of the Swedish BioFINDER-2 study. First, event-based modelling revealed that the entorhinal cortex and area 35 show the earliest signs of tau accumulation followed by the anterior and posterior hippocampus, area 36 and the parahippocampal cortex. In later stages, tau accumulation became abnormal in neocortical temporal and finally parietal brain regions. Second, in cognitively unimpaired individuals, increased tau load was related to local atrophy in the entorhinal cortex, area 35 and the anterior hippocampus and tau load in several anterior medial temporal lobe subregions was associated with distant atrophy of the posterior hippocampus. Tau load, but not atrophy, in these regions was associated with lower memory performance. Further, tau-related reductions in functional connectivity in critical networks between the medial temporal lobe and regions in the posterior-medial system were associated with this early memory impairment. Finally, in patients with mild cognitive impairment, the association of tau load in the hippocampus with memory performance was partially mediated by posterior hippocampal atrophy. In summary, our findings highlight the progression of tau pathology across medial temporal lobe subregions and its disease-stage specific association with memory performance. While tau pathology might affect memory performance in cognitively unimpaired individuals via reduced functional connectivity in critical medial temporal lobe-cortical networks, memory impairment in mild cognitively impaired patients is associated with posterior hippocampal atrophy.


2013 ◽  
Vol 119 (5) ◽  
pp. 1098-1104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Takehiro Uda ◽  
Michiharu Morino ◽  
Hirotaka Ito ◽  
Noriaki Minami ◽  
Atsushi Hosono ◽  
...  

Object Amygdalohippocampectomy is a well-established, standard surgery for medically intractable mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE). However, in the case of MTLE without hippocampal atrophy or sclerosis, amygdalohippocampectomy is associated with decreased postoperative memory function. Hippocampal transection (HT) has been developed to overcome this problem. In HT the hippocampus is not removed; rather, the longitudinal hippocampal circuits of epileptic activities are disrupted by transection of the pyramidal layer of the hippocampus. The present study describes a less invasive modification of HT (transsylvian HT) and presents the seizure and memory outcomes for this procedure. Methods Thirty-seven patients with MTLE (18 men and 19 women; age range 9–63 years; 19 with surgery on the right side and 18 with surgery on the left side; seizure onset from 3 to 34 years) who were treated with transsylvian HT were retrospectively analyzed. All patients had left-side language dominance, and follow-up periods ranged from 12 to 94 months (median 49 months). Seizure outcomes were evaluated for all patients by using the Engel classification. Memory function was evaluated for 22 patients based on 3 indices (verbal memory, nonverbal memory, and delayed recall), with those scores obtained using the Wechsler Memory Scale–Revised. Patients underwent evaluation of the memory function before and after surgery (6 months–1 year). Results Engel Class I (completely seizure free) was achieved in 25 patients (67.6%). Class II and Class III designation was achieved in 10 (27%) and 2 patients (5.4%), respectively. There were differences in memory outcome between the sides of operation. On the right side, verbal memory significantly increased postoperatively (p = 0.003) but nonverbal memory and delayed recall showed no significant change after the operation (p = 0.718 and p = 0.210, respectively). On the left side, all 3 indices (verbal memory, nonverbal memory, and delayed recall) showed no significant change (p = 0.331, p = 0.458, and p = 0.366, respectively). Conclusions Favorable seizure outcome and preservation of verbal memory were achieved with transsylvian HT for the treatment of MTLE without hippocampal atrophy or sclerosis.


Neurology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 94 (18) ◽  
pp. e1916-e1928
Author(s):  
Heidi I.L. Jacobs ◽  
Jean C. Augustinack ◽  
Aaron P. Schultz ◽  
Bernard J. Hanseeuw ◽  
Joseph Locascio ◽  
...  

ObjectiveTo identify the hippocampal subregions linking initial amyloid and tau pathology to memory performance in clinically normal older individuals, reflecting preclinical Alzheimer disease (AD).MethodsA total of 127 individuals from the Harvard Aging Brain Study (mean age 76.22 ± 6.42 years, 68 women [53.5%]) with a Clinical Dementia Rating score of 0, a flortaucipir tau-PET scan, a Pittsburgh compound B amyloid-PET scan, a structural MRI scan, and cognitive testing were included. From these images, we calculated neocortical, hippocampal, and entorhinal amyloid pathology; entorhinal and hippocampal tau pathology; and the volumes of 6 hippocampal subregions and total hippocampal volume. Memory was assessed with the selective reminding test. Mediation and moderation analyses modeled associations between regional markers and memory. Analyses included covariates for age, sex, and education.ResultsNeocortical amyloid, entorhinal tau, and presubiculum volume univariately associated with memory performance. The relationship between neocortical amyloid and memory was mediated by entorhinal tau and presubiculum volume, which was modified by hippocampal amyloid burden. With other biomarkers held constant, presubiculum volume was the only marker predicting memory performance in the total sample and in individuals with elevated hippocampal amyloid burden.ConclusionsThe presubiculum captures unique AD-related biological variation that is not reflected in total hippocampal volume. Presubiculum volume may be a promising marker of imminent memory problems and can contribute to understanding the interaction between incipient AD-related pathologies and memory performance. The modulation by hippocampal amyloid suggests that amyloid is a necessary, but not sufficient, process to drive neurodegeneration in memory-related regions.


2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 200-210 ◽  
Author(s):  
NATALIE A. PHILLIPS ◽  
HOWARD CHERTKOW ◽  
MANON M. LEBLANC ◽  
HEATHER PIM ◽  
SUSAN MURTHA

We investigated the sensitivity of the P300 event-related brain potential (ERP) recorded during a memory-demanding task to memory function in subjects with dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT), those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and normal elderly controls. We also explored the ability of neuropsychological (delayed verbal memory), neuroanatomical (MRI-based hippocampal volume), and electrophysiological (memory search P300 amplitude) memory measures to distinguish between the three subject groups using discriminant function analyses. Fourteen patients with DAT, 16 with MCI, and 15 age- and education-matched controls were tested. P300 amplitude was reduced in DAT subjects at all levels of memory load; however, it did not differ between MCI and control subjects. Delayed verbal memory performance best discriminated DAT from MCI and control subjects, while delayed verbal memory and hippocampal volume best discriminated MCI subjects from controls. These results support the utility of neuropsychological and neuroanatomical measures in diagnosing dementia and do not support the notion that P300 amplitude is sensitive to mild memory dysfunction when measured using the current task. (JINS, 2004, 10, 200–210.)


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristine B. Walhovd ◽  
Anne Cecilie Sjøli Bråthen ◽  
Matthew S. Panizzon ◽  
Athanasia M. Mowinckel ◽  
Øystein Sørensen ◽  
...  

AbstractMemory performance results from plasticity, the ability to change with experience. We show that benefit from practice over a few trials, learning slope, is predictive of long-term recall and hippocampal volume across a broad age range and a long period of time, relates to memory training benefit, and is heritable. First, in a healthy lifespan sample (n = 1825, age 4–93 years), comprising 3483 occasions of combined magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans and memory tests over a period of up to 11 years, learning slope across 5 trials was uniquely related to performance on a delayed free recall test, as well as hippocampal volume, independent from first trial memory or total memory performance across the five learning trials. Second, learning slope was predictive of benefit from memory training across ten weeks in an experimental subsample of adults (n = 155). Finally, in an independent sample of male twins (n = 1240, age 51–50 years), learning slope showed significant heritability. Within-session learning slope may be a useful marker beyond performance per se, being heritable and having unique predictive value for long-term memory function, hippocampal volume and training benefit across the human lifespan.


2020 ◽  
Vol 224 ◽  
pp. 201-202
Author(s):  
Lies Van Assche ◽  
Louise Emsell ◽  
Lene Claes ◽  
Luc Van de Ven ◽  
Patrick Luyten ◽  
...  

1999 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 682-697 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharina Henke ◽  
Neal E. A. Kroll ◽  
Hamraz Behniea ◽  
David G. Amaral ◽  
Michael B. Miller ◽  
...  

We present a longitudinal neuropsychological study (31 examinations over a period of 18 months) of patient DF. DF demonstrated bilateral atrophy of the hippocampal formation and globus pallidus resulting from carbon monoxide poisoning. Eighteen months after the event, the volume of the hippocampal formation was reduced by 42% on the left side and 28% on the right. The patient initially presented with a severe global amnesia. Then, he showed a gradual, yet selective recovery of episodic memory function. Verbal free recall and spatial memory performance remained reduced, whereas immediate word recall and recognition memory, as well as picture learning and memory, improved to levels at the lower range of normal performance. Interestingly, nonspatial associative learning was never much impaired and recovered completely by the end of testing. These data are taken as evidence that the human hippocampal formation does not equally support different forms of episodic memory.


2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 990-1003 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Schiltz ◽  
A. Szentkuti ◽  
S. Guderian ◽  
J. Kaufmann ◽  
T. F. Münte ◽  
...  

With progressing age, the ability to recollect personal events declines, whereas familiarity-based memory remains relatively intact. It has been hypothesized that age-related hippocampal atrophy may contribute to this pattern because of its critical role for recollection in younger humans and after acute injury. Here, we show that hippocampal volume loss in healthy older persons correlates with gray matter loss (estimated with voxel-based morphometry) of the entire limbic system and shows no correlation with an electrophysiological (event-related potential [ERP]) index of recollection. Instead, it covaries with more substantial and less specific electrophysiological changes of stimulus processing. Age-related changes in another complementary structural measure, hippocampal diffusion, on the other hand, seemed to be more regionally selective and showed the expected correlation with the ERP index of recollection. Thus, hippocampal atrophy in older persons accompanies limbic atrophy, and its functional impact on memory is more fundamental than merely affecting recollection.


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