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Abstract
Background: Deficits in short-term memory (STM) binding are a distinguishing feature of preclinical stages leading to Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the neuroanatomical correlates of conjunctive STM binding are largely unexplored. Here we examine the possible association between the volumes of hippocampi, parahippocampal gyri, and grey matter within the subcortical structures – all found to have foci that seemingly correlate with basic daily living activities in AD patients - with cognitive tests related to conjunctive STM binding.
Materials and methods: Hippocampal, thalamic, parahippocampal and corpus striatum volumes were semi-automatically quantified in brain magnetic resonance images from 25 cognitively normal people and 21 patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) at high risk of AD progression, who undertook a battery of cognitive tests and the short-term memory binding test. Associations were assessed using linear regression models and group differences were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test.
Results: Hippocampal and parahippocampal gyrus volumes differed between MCI and control groups. Although the grey matter volume in the globus pallidus (r = -0.71, p < 0.001) and parahippocampal gyry (r = -0.63, p < 0.05) correlated with a STM binding task in the MCI group, only the former remained associated with STM binding deficits in MCI patients, after correcting for age, gender and years of education (β = -0.56,P = 0.042) although with borderline significance.
Conclusions: Loss of hippocampal volume plays no role in the processing of STM binding. Structures within the basal ganglia, namely the globus pallidus, could be part of the extrahippocampal network supporting binding. Replication of this study in large samples is now needed.
Materials and methods: Hippocampal, thalamic, parahippocampal and corpus striatum volumes were semi-automatically quantified in brain magnetic resonance images from 25 cognitively normal people and 21 patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) at high risk of AD progression, who undertook a battery of cognitive tests and the short-term memory binding test. Associations were assessed using linear regression models and group differences were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test.
Results: Hippocampal and parahippocampal gyrus volumes differed between MCI and control groups. Although the grey matter volume in the globus pallidus (r = -0.71, p < 0.001) and parahippocampal gyry (r = -0.63, p < 0.05) correlated with a STM binding task in the MCI group, only the former remained associated with STM binding deficits in MCI patients, after correcting for age, gender and years of education (β = -0.56,P = 0.042) although with borderline significance.
Conclusions: Loss of hippocampal volume plays no role in the processing of STM binding. Structures within the basal ganglia, namely the globus pallidus, could be part of the extrahippocampal network supporting binding. Replication of this study in large samples is now needed.
Original language | English |
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Article number | 102158 |
Number of pages | 13 |
Journal | NeuroImage: Clinical |
Volume | 25 |
Early online date | 29 Dec 2019 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 29 Dec 2019 |
Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)
- basal ganglia
- MRI
- ageing
- cognition
- memory binding
- hipppocampus
- globus pallidus
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Dive into the research topics of 'The striatum, the hippocampus, and short-term memory binding: Volumetric analysis of the subcortical grey matter's role in mild cognitive impairment'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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Develop Sensitive Behavioural And Neuroimaging Markers In Detecting Cognitive Ageing
Wang, S.-H. (Principal Investigator) & Valdes Hernandez, M. (Co-investigator)
4/04/17 → 25/04/19
Project: Research
Profiles
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Szu-Han Wang
- Deanery of Clinical Sciences - Senior Research Fellow
- Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences
- Edinburgh Neuroscience
Person: Academic: Research Active , Academic: Research Active (Research Assistant)