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Corpus Callosum Atrophy, White Matter Lesions, and Frontal Executive Dysfunction in Normal Aging and Alzheimer's Disease. A Community-Based Study: The Tajiri Project

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2005

Kenichi Meguro
Affiliation:
Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Disability Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
Jean-Marc Constans
Affiliation:
MR Unit, University of Caen School of Medicine, Caen, France
Masumi Shimada
Affiliation:
Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Disability Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
Satoshi Yamaguchi
Affiliation:
Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Disability Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
Junichi Ishizaki
Affiliation:
Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Disability Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
Hiroshi Ishii
Affiliation:
Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Disability Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
Atshushi Yamadori
Affiliation:
Division of Neuropsychology, Department of Disability Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, Sendai, Japan
Yasuyoshi Sekita
Affiliation:
Tohoku University Graduate School of Economics, Sendai, Japan

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Cerebral MRIs of normal aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD) frequently reveal corpus callosum (CC) atrophy, white matter hyperintensity (WMH), and hippocampal atrophy. However, their relationship between these findings and cognitive function has not been fully studied. We investigated the relationship between CC atrophy, WHM, and hippocampal atrophy, together with frontal executive dysfunction in both normal aging and AD. Method: We examined 170 randomly selected residents from a designated community: 99 Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) 0 (healthy, control group, HC) participants, 54 CDR 0.5 (very mild AD) patients, and 17 CDR 1 & 2 (probable AD) patients. By means of MRI, WMH and CC atrophy were visually rated. Four portions of the CC and the hippocampal width were measured. A Mini-Mental State Examination and Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) were performed to assess global function. For the frontal function, the CASI subitems of attention and word fluency, letter-based fluency, the Digit Symbol test of the WAIS-R, and Trail Making Tests were performed. Results: Those patients with CDR 1 & 2 had both hippocampal and CC atrophy, whereas the CDR 0.5 patients had only hippocampal atrophy. Frontal executive dysfunction was associated with CC atrophy in both the HC and AD groups. Significant Spearman correlations were noted between CC atrophy and WMH in both groups. The combined effect of CC atrophy and WMH was noted only in the verbal fluency tests in the HC group. Conclusion: In both groups, CC atrophy was associated with frontal executive dysfunction. The combined effect of CC atrophy and WMH in normal aging was probably due to subclinical inschemic conditions.

Type
Articles
Copyright
© 2003 International Psychogeriatric Association

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