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Episodic memory loss is related to hippocampal-mediated beta-amyloid deposition in elderly subjects
Mormino EC, Kluth JT, Madison CM, Rabinovici GD, Baker SL, Miller BL, Koeppe RA, Mathis CA et al.. Brain : a journal of neurology, 2008-11-28
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Although beta-amyloid (Abeta) plaques are a primary diagnostic criterion for Alzheimer's disease, this pathology is commonly observed in the brains of non-demented older individuals. To explore the importance of this pathology in the absence of dementia, we compared levels of amyloid deposition (via 'Pittsburgh Compound-B' (PIB) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging) to hippocampus volume (HV) and episodic memory (EM) in three groups: (i) normal controls (NC) from the Berkeley Aging Cohort (BAC NC, n = 20); (ii) normal controls (NC) from the Alzheimer's disease neuroimaging initiative (ADNI NC, n = 17); and (iii) PIB+ mild cognitive impairment subjects from the ADNI (ADNI PIB+ MCI, n = 39). Age, gender and education were controlled for in each statistical model, and HV was adjusted for intracranial volume (aHV). In BAC NC, elevated PIB uptake was significantly associated with smaller aHV (P = 0.0016) and worse EM (P = 0.0086). Within ADNI NC, elevated PIB uptake was significantly associated with smaller aHV (P = 0.047) but not EM (P = 0.60); within ADNI PIB+ MCI, elevated PIB uptake was significantly associated with both smaller aHV (P = 0.00070) and worse EM (P = 0.046). To further understand these relationships, a recursive regression procedure was conducted within all ADNI NC and PIB+ MCI subjects (n = 56) to test the hypothesis that HV mediates the relationship between Abeta and EM. Significant correlations were found between PIB index and EM (P = 0.0044), PIB index and aHV (P < 0.0001), as well as between aHV and EM (P < 0.0001). When both aHV and PIB were included in the same model to predict EM, aHV remained significant (P = 0.0015) whereas PIB index was no longer significantly associated with EM (P = 0.50). These results are consistent with a model in which Abeta deposition, hippocampal atrophy, and EM occur sequentially in elderly subjects, with Abeta deposition as the primary event in this cascade. This pattern suggests that declining EM in older individuals may be caused by Abeta-induced hippocampus atrophy.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Mormino, E. C., Kluth, J. T., Madison, C. M., Rabinovici, G. D., Baker, S. L., Miller, B. L., et al. (2009). Episodic memory loss is related to hippocampal-mediated beta-amyloid deposition in elderly subjects. Brain : a journal of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awn320
Vancouver
Mormino EC, Kluth JT, Madison CM, Rabinovici GD, Baker SL, Miller BL, et al. Episodic memory loss is related to hippocampal-mediated beta-amyloid deposition in elderly subjects. Brain : a journal of neurology. 2009. doi:10.1093/brain/awn320. PMID: 19042931.
BibTeX
@article{mormino2009-19042931,
author = {Mormino, E. C. and Kluth, J. T. and Madison, C. M. and Rabinovici, G. D. and Baker, S. L. and Miller, B. L. and Koeppe, R. A. and Mathis, C. A. and others},
title = {{Episodic memory loss is related to hippocampal-mediated beta-amyloid deposition in elderly subjects}},
journal = {Brain : a journal of neurology},
year = {2009},
doi = {10.1093/brain/awn320},
pmid = {19042931},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awn320}
}
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.
Key findings
- In BAC NC, elevated PIB uptake was significantly associated with smaller aHV (P = 0.0016) and worse EM (P = 0.0086).
- Within ADNI NC, elevated PIB uptake was significantly associated with smaller aHV (P = 0.047) but not EM (P = 0.60); within ADNI PIB+ MCI, elevated PIB uptake was significantly associated with both smaller aHV (P = 0.00070) and worse EM (P = 0.046).
- Significant correlations were found between PIB index and EM (P = 0.0044), PIB index and aHV (P < 0.0001), as well as between aHV and EM (P < 0.0001).
- When both aHV and PIB were included in the same model to predict EM, aHV remained significant (P = 0.0015) whereas PIB index was no longer significantly associated with EM (P = 0.50).
- These results are consistent with a model in which Abeta deposition, hippocampal atrophy, and EM occur sequentially in elderly subjects, with Abeta deposition as the primary event in this cascade.
Why it matters
In older adults without dementia, higher brain amyloid measured by PET was associated with smaller hippocampus volume and, in some groups, worse episodic memory. This is observational imaging research about how amyloid relates to memory and brain structure, not a treatment or cure.
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Study details
- Participants20
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 61/100
Published in a leading specialty 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 59 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 61 out of 100.
| 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 | 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 | 2009 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 20 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 | 6 / 7 | Cited 690 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 36.3 citations a year over 19 year(s) since 2009 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 28.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 64 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 68 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 | 2 / 3 | University of Michigan: institution h-index 2,240 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 19042931) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 59 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 59 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 61 out of 100. |
| Total | 61 / 100 | — |
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