Small world network measures predict white matter degeneration in patients with early-stage mild cognitive impairment

Talia Nir, Neda Jahanshad, Clifford R. Jack, Michael W. Weiner, Arthur W. Toga, Paul M. Thompson

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) has long been considered a cortical degenerative disease, but impaired brain connectivity, due to white matter injury, may exacerbate cognitive problems. Predicting brain changes is critically important for early treatment. In a longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging study, we investigated white matter fiber integrity in 19 patients (mean age: 74.7 +/- 8.4 yrs at baseline) displaying early signs of mild cognitive impairment (eMCI). We first examined whether baseline average fractional anisotropy (FA) measures in the corpus callosum (CC) predicted changes in white matter integrity over the following 6 months. We then examined whether "small world" architecture measures calculated from baseline connectivity maps predicted white matter changes over the next 6 months. While average CC FA measures at baseline were not associated with future changes in FA, network measures were a sensitive biomarker for predicting white matter changes during this critical time before AD strikes.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication2012 9th IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging
Subtitle of host publicationFrom Nano to Macro, ISBI 2012 - Proceedings
Pages1405-1408
Number of pages4
DOIs
StatePublished - 2012
Event2012 9th IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging: From Nano to Macro, ISBI 2012 - Barcelona, Spain
Duration: May 2 2012May 5 2012

Publication series

NameProceedings - International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging
ISSN (Print)1945-7928
ISSN (Electronic)1945-8452

Other

Other2012 9th IEEE International Symposium on Biomedical Imaging: From Nano to Macro, ISBI 2012
Country/TerritorySpain
CityBarcelona
Period5/2/125/5/12

Keywords

  • Alzheimer's disease
  • connectivity
  • diffusion imaging
  • graph theory
  • predictive models

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging

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