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AddNeuroMed and ADNI: similar patterns of Alzheimer's atrophy and automated MRI classification accuracy in Europe and North America
Westman E, Simmons A, Muehlboeck JS, Mecocci P, Vellas B, Tsolaki M, Kłoszewska I, Soininen H et al.. NeuroImage, 2011-07-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
The European Union AddNeuroMed program and the US-based Alzheimer Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) are two large multi-center initiatives designed to collect and validate biomarker data for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Both initiatives use the same MRI data acquisition scheme. The current study aims to compare and combine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from the two study cohorts using an automated image analysis pipeline and a multivariate data analysis approach. We hypothesized that the two cohorts would show similar patterns of atrophy, despite demographic differences and could therefore be combined. MRI scans were analyzed from a total of 1074 subjects (AD=295, MCI=444 and controls=335) using Freesurfer, an automated segmentation scheme which generates regional volume and regional cortical thickness measures which were subsequently used for multivariate analysis (orthogonal partial least squares to latent structures (OPLS)). OPLS models were created for the individual cohorts and for the combined cohort to discriminate between AD patients and controls. The ADNI cohort was used as a replication dataset to validate the model created for the AddNeuroMed cohort and vice versa. The combined cohort model was used to predict conversion to AD at baseline of MCI subjects at 1 year follow-up. The AddNeuroMed, the ADNI and the combined cohort showed similar patterns of atrophy and the predictive power was similar (between 80 and 90%). The combined model also showed potential in predicting conversion from MCI to AD, resulting in 71% of the MCI converters (MCI-c) from both cohorts classified as AD-like and 60% of the stable MCI subjects (MCI-s) classified as control-like. This demonstrates that the methods used are robust and that large data sets can be combined if MRI imaging protocols are carefully aligned.
Key findings
- The ADNI cohort was used as a replication dataset to validate the model created for the AddNeuroMed cohort and vice versa.
- The combined cohort model was used to predict conversion to AD at baseline of MCI subjects at 1 year follow-up.
- The AddNeuroMed, the ADNI and the combined cohort showed similar patterns of atrophy and the predictive power was similar (between 80 and 90%).
- The combined model also showed potential in predicting conversion from MCI to AD, resulting in 71% of the MCI converters (MCI-c) from both cohorts classified as AD-like and 60% of the stable MCI subjects (MCI-s) classified as control-like.
- This demonstrates that the methods used are robust and that large data sets can be combined if MRI imaging protocols are carefully aligned.
Why it matters
This study combined MRI data from European and North American cohorts and found similar patterns of brain atrophy, with models predicting conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease in about 71% of converters. It concerns imaging classification and prediction, not a treatment, so it does not show how to cure or prevent the disease.
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Study details
- Participants1,074
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 57/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (NeuroImage) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | NeuroImage: journal h-index 523 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2011 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 1,074 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 135 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 7.9 citations a year over 17 year(s) since 2011 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 8.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 11 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 9 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Lars‐Olof Wahlund: h-index 101 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Inserm: institution h-index 1,988 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 10 institution(s) in 8 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 21763442) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 57 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Westman, E., Simmons, A., Muehlboeck, J. S., Mecocci, P., Vellas, B., Tsolaki, M., et al. (2011). AddNeuroMed and ADNI: similar patterns of Alzheimer's atrophy and automated MRI classification accuracy in Europe and North America. NeuroImage. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.06.065
Vancouver
Westman E, Simmons A, Muehlboeck JS, Mecocci P, Vellas B, Tsolaki M, et al. AddNeuroMed and ADNI: similar patterns of Alzheimer's atrophy and automated MRI classification accuracy in Europe and North America. NeuroImage. 2011. doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.06.065. PMID: 21763442.
BibTeX
@article{westman2011-21763442,
author = {Westman, E. and Simmons, A. and Muehlboeck, J. S. and Mecocci, P. and Vellas, B. and Tsolaki, M. and Kłoszewska, I. and Soininen, H. and others},
title = {{AddNeuroMed and ADNI: similar patterns of Alzheimer's atrophy and automated MRI classification accuracy in Europe and North America}},
journal = {NeuroImage},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.06.065},
pmid = {21763442},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.06.065}
}
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