Home › Research › Mild cognitive impairment
Distinguishing Early from Late Mild Cognitive Impairment Using Magnetic Resonance Free-Water Diffusion Tensor Imaging
Maurizio Bergamino, Molly M. McElvogue, Ashley Michelle Stokes, Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. NeuroSci, 2025-01-18
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) is a transitional stage between normal aging and Alzheimer's disease. Differentiating early MCI (EMCI) from late MCI (LMCI) is crucial for early diagnosis and intervention. This study used free-water diffusion tensor imaging (fw-DTI) to investigate white matter differences and voxel-based correlations with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. Data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative included 476 healthy controls (CN), 137 EMCI participants, and 62 LMCI participants. Significant MMSE differences were found between the CN and MCI groups, but not between EMCI and LMCI. However, distinct white matter changes were observed: LMCI showed a higher f-index and lower fw-fractional anisotropy (fw-FA) compared to EMCI in several white matter regions. These findings indicate specific white matter tracts involved in MCI progression. Voxel-based correlations between fw-DTI metrics and MMSE scores further supported these results. In conclusion, this study provides crucial insights into white matter changes associated with EMCI and LMCI, offering significant implications for future research and clinical practice.
Key findings
- Significant MMSE differences were found between the CN and MCI groups, but not between EMCI and LMCI.
- However, distinct white matter changes were observed: LMCI showed a higher f-index and lower fw-fractional anisotropy (fw-FA) compared to EMCI in several white matter regions.
- These findings indicate specific white matter tracts involved in MCI progression.
- Voxel-based correlations between fw-DTI metrics and MMSE scores further supported these results.
- In conclusion, this study provides crucial insights into white matter changes associated with EMCI and LMCI, offering significant implications for future research and clinical practice.
Why it matters
Using a type of MRI called free-water diffusion tensor imaging, this study found distinct white matter changes in people with late MCI compared with early MCI, even though MMSE scores did not differ between the two groups. These findings suggest specific white matter tracts are involved in MCI progression and may help with early diagnosis, but the study does not test any treatment.
Study details
- Participants476
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 40/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 38 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 40 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (NeuroSci) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | NeuroSci: journal h-index 20 (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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 476 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 | 2 / 7 | Cited 5 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 1.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 5 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Barrow Neurological Institute: institution h-index 384 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39846567) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 38 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 38 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 40 out of 100. |
| Total | 40 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Bergamino, M., McElvogue, M. M., Stokes, A. M., & Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. (2025). Distinguishing Early from Late Mild Cognitive Impairment Using Magnetic Resonance Free-Water Diffusion Tensor Imaging. NeuroSci. https://doi.org/10.3390/neurosci6010008
Vancouver
Bergamino M, McElvogue MM, Stokes AM, Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Distinguishing Early from Late Mild Cognitive Impairment Using Magnetic Resonance Free-Water Diffusion Tensor Imaging. NeuroSci. 2025. doi:10.3390/neurosci6010008. PMID: 39846567.
BibTeX
@article{bergamino2025-39846567,
author = {Bergamino, Maurizio and McElvogue, Molly M. and Stokes, Ashley Michelle and {Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative}},
title = {{Distinguishing Early from Late Mild Cognitive Impairment Using Magnetic Resonance Free-Water Diffusion Tensor Imaging}},
journal = {NeuroSci},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.3390/neurosci6010008},
pmid = {39846567},
url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/neurosci6010008}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.
Related studies in Mild cognitive impairment
Also tagged “assessment”
840 studies in the library carry the topic tag “assessment”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 840 tagged studies.