Longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging in dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer's disease

Michael J Firbank; Rosie Watson; Elijah Mak; Benjamin Aribisala; Robert Barber; Sean J Colloby; Jiabao He; Andrew M Blamire; John T O'Brien

doi:10.1016/j.parkreldis.2016.01.003

Longitudinal diffusion tensor imaging in dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer's disease

Parkinsonism Relat Disord. 2016 Mar:24:76-80. doi: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2016.01.003. Epub 2016 Jan 6.

Authors

Michael J Firbank¹, Rosie Watson², Elijah Mak³, Benjamin Aribisala⁴, Robert Barber⁵, Sean J Colloby⁵, Jiabao He⁶, Andrew M Blamire⁷, John T O'Brien³

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Neuroscience and Newcastle University Institute for Ageing, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. Electronic address: michael.firbank@ncl.ac.uk.
² Institute for Neuroscience and Newcastle University Institute for Ageing, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia; The Department of Aged Care, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Parkville, Australia.
³ Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Box 189, Level E4, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, UK.
⁴ Newcastle Magnetic Resonance Centre, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK; Computer Science Department, Faculty of Science, Lagos State University, Lagos, Nigeria.
⁵ Institute for Neuroscience and Newcastle University Institute for Ageing, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
⁶ Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, University of Aberdeen, UK.
⁷ Newcastle Magnetic Resonance Centre, Campus for Ageing and Vitality, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.

PMID: 26792342
DOI: 10.1016/j.parkreldis.2016.01.003

Abstract

Objective: Changes in the white matter of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer's disease (AD) have been reported using diffusion weighted MRI, though few longitudinal studies have been done.

Methods: We performed diffusion weighted MRI twice, a year apart on 23 AD, 14 DLB, and 32 healthy control subjects. Mean diffusivity (MD) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were calculated.

Results: In AD, there were widespread regions where the longitudinal MD increase was greater than in controls, and small areas in the parietal and temporal lobes where it was greater in AD than DLB. In AD, decrease in brain volume correlated with increased MD. There were no significant differences in progression between DLB and controls.

Conclusions: In AD the white matter continues to degenerate during the disease process, whereas in DLB, changes in the white matter structure are a relatively early feature. Different mechanisms are likely to underpin changes in diffusivity.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease; DWI; Dementia with Lewy bodies; MRI.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Alzheimer Disease / diagnostic imaging*
Analysis of Variance
Diffusion Tensor Imaging*
Female
Humans
Imaging, Three-Dimensional
Lewy Body Disease / diagnostic imaging*
Longitudinal Studies
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Male
Mental Status Schedule
Middle Aged
Neuropsychological Tests
Statistics as Topic

Grants and funding

MR/K000608/1/MRC_/Medical Research Council/United Kingdom