Comparison of Hippocampal Volume Measured Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Alzheimer's Disease, Vascular Dementia, Mild Cognitive Impairment and Pseudodementia


Dolek N., Saylisoy S., Ozbabalik D., Adapinar B.

JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL RESEARCH, vol.40, no.2, pp.717-725, 2012 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier identifier

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between different types of dementia and hippocampal volume. METHODS: Hippocampal volume was measured by magnetic resonance imaging in patients with Alzheimer's disease (n = 22), vascular dementia (n = 14), mild cognitive impairment (n = 12) or pseudodementia (n = 16), and in healthy control subjects (n = 11). The Mini Mental State Examination was used to stratify subjects according to cognitive function. RESULTS: Hippocampal volume was reduced by 42% in Alzheimer's disease, 21% in vascular dementia, 15% in mild cognitive impairment and 13% in pseudodementia compared with controls. The severity of dementia increased in line with decreasing hippocampal volume. CONCLUSIONS: Measurement of hippocampal volume may facilitate differentiation between dementia subtypes. There was a relationship between reduced hippocampal volume and the degree of cognitive impairment.