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Convergent grey and white matter evidence of orbitofrontal cortex changes related to disinhibition in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia
Hornberger M, Geng J, Hodges JR.. Brain : a journal of neurology, 2011-07-23
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Disinhibition is a common behavioural symptom in frontotemporal dementia but its neural correlates are still debated. In the current study, we investigated the grey and white matter neural correlates of disinhibition in a sample of behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (n = 14) and patients with Alzheimer's disease (n = 15). We employed an objective (Hayling Test of inhibitory functioning) and subjective/carer-based (Neuropsychiatric Inventory) measure of disinhibition to reveal convergent evidence of disinhibitory behaviour. Mean and overlap-based statistical analyses were conducted to investigate profiles of performance in patients with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's disease and controls. Hayling Test and Neuropsychiatric Inventory scores were entered as covariates in a grey matter voxel-based morphometry, as well as in a white matter diffusion tensor imaging analysis to determine the underlying grey and white matter correlates. Patients with behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia showed more disinhibition on both behavioural measures in comparison to patients with Alzheimer's disease and controls. Voxel-based morphometry results revealed that atrophy in orbitofrontal/subgenual, medial prefrontal cortex and anterior temporal lobe areas covaried with total errors score of the Hayling Test. Similarly, the Neuropsychiatric Inventory disinhibition frequency score correlated with atrophy in orbitofrontal cortex and temporal pole brain regions. The orbitofrontal atrophy related to the objective (Hayling Test) and subjective (Neuropsychiatric Inventory) measures of disinhibition was partially overlapping. Diffusion tensor imaging analysis revealed that white matter integrity fractional anisotropy values of the white matter tracts connecting the identified grey matter regions, namely uncinate fasciculus, forceps minor and genu of the corpus callosum, correlated well with the total error score of the Hayling Test. Our results show that a network of orbitofrontal, anterior temporal and mesial frontal brain regions and their connecting white matter tracts are involved in inhibitory functioning. Further, we find convergent evidence for objective and subjective disinhibition measures that the orbitofrontal/subgenual brain region is critical for adapting and maintaining normal behaviour.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Hornberger, M., Geng, J., & Hodges, JR. (2011). Convergent grey and white matter evidence of orbitofrontal cortex changes related to disinhibition in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia. Brain : a journal of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awr173
Vancouver
Hornberger M, Geng J, Hodges JR. Convergent grey and white matter evidence of orbitofrontal cortex changes related to disinhibition in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia. Brain : a journal of neurology. 2011. doi:10.1093/brain/awr173. PMID: 21785117.
BibTeX
@article{hornberger2011-21785117,
author = {Hornberger, M. and Geng, J. and Hodges, JR.},
title = {{Convergent grey and white matter evidence of orbitofrontal cortex changes related to disinhibition in behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia}},
journal = {Brain : a journal of neurology},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.1093/brain/awr173},
pmid = {21785117},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awr173}
}
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Key findings
- Voxel-based morphometry results revealed that atrophy in orbitofrontal/subgenual, medial prefrontal cortex and anterior temporal lobe areas covaried with total errors score of the Hayling Test.
- Diffusion tensor imaging analysis revealed that white matter integrity fractional anisotropy values of the white matter tracts connecting the identified grey matter regions, namely uncinate fasciculus, forceps minor and genu of the corpus callosum, correlated well with the total error score of the Hayling Test.
- Our results show that a network of orbitofrontal, anterior temporal and mesial frontal brain regions and their connecting white matter tracts are involved in inhibitory functioning.
Why it matters
In this small study of 14 people with behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia and 15 with Alzheimer's disease, disinhibition was linked to atrophy in specific brain regions including the orbitofrontal cortex. This helps understand the brain changes behind disinhibition but does not offer a treatment or cure.
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Study details
- Participants14
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 52/100
Published in a leading specialty journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Brain : a journal of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Brain: journal h-index 503 (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 | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” 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 | 1 / 4 | 14 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 229 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 13.5 citations a year over 17 year(s) since 2011 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 10.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 29 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author John R. Hodges: h-index 99 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | UNSW Sydney: institution h-index 1,101 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 21785117) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 52 / 100 | — |
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