Hippocampal subfields volume changes and its correlation with memory functions in patients with mild cognitive impairment

Background

This study examined hippocampal subfields volumes in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) as potential non-invasive predictive neuroimaging markers of cognitive decline.

Methods

T1-weighted images and Addenbrooke's cognitive examination III (ACE-III) data were obtained from 36 healthy controls and 27 MCI patients. The hippocampal subfields volumes were extracted using Freesurfer software, and group differences and correlation were assessed using general linear model (GLM) with age, sex, and total intracranial volume (TIV) as covariates.

Results

MCI participants exhibited significant decrease in memory scores and notable volumetric changes in hippocampal subfields, including the bilateral hippocampal tail, subiculum, CA1, CA3, molecular layer, as well as the left presubiculum, parasubiculum, CA4, GC-ML-DG, and HATA. Moreover, the left presubiculum, left parasubiculum, and left GC-ML-DG showed significant positive correlations with ACE memory scores in MCI patients.

Conclusions

The alterations in hippocampal subfields in MCI patients may indicate underlying neurodegenerative processes associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology.