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Hippocampal atrophy and ventricular enlargement in normal aging, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer Disease
Apostolova LG, Green AE, Babakchanian S, Hwang KS, Chou YY, Toga AW, Thompson PM.. Alzheimer disease and associated disorders, 2012-01-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia worldwide. Hippocampal atrophy and ventricular enlargement have been associated with AD but also with normal aging. We analyzed 1.5-T brain magnetic resonance imaging data from 46 cognitively normal elderly individuals (NC), 33 mild cognitive impairment and 43 AD patients. Hippocampal and ventricular analyses were conducted with 2 novel semiautomated segmentation approaches followed by the radial distance mapping technique. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the effects of age and diagnosis on hippocampal and ventricular volumes and radial distance. In addition, 3-dimensional map correction for multiple comparisons was made with permutation testing. As expected, most significant hippocampal atrophy and ventricular enlargement were seen in the AD versus NC comparison. Mild cognitive impairment patients showed intermediate levels of hippocampal atrophy and ventricular enlargement. Significant effects of age on hippocampal volume and radial distance were seen in the pooled sample and in the NC and AD groups considered separately. Age-associated differences were detected in all hippocampal subfields and in the frontal and body/occipital horn portions of the lateral ventricles. Aging affects both the hippocampus and lateral ventricles independent of AD pathology, and should be included as covariate in all structural, hippocampal, and ventricular analyses when possible.
Key findings
- Hippocampal atrophy and ventricular enlargement have been associated with AD but also with normal aging.
- As expected, most significant hippocampal atrophy and ventricular enlargement were seen in the AD versus NC comparison.
- Significant effects of age on hippocampal volume and radial distance were seen in the pooled sample and in the NC and AD groups considered separately.
Why it matters
This imaging study found the most hippocampal atrophy and ventricular enlargement in Alzheimer's disease compared with cognitively normal elderly, with intermediate levels in mild cognitive impairment, and found age effects independent of Alzheimer's pathology. It is about measuring brain changes, not about treating, curing, or preventing the disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 47/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer disease and associated disorders) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders: journal h-index 131 (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 | 2012 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 365 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 22.8 citations a year over 16 year(s) since 2012 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.9× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 5 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 101 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Paul M. Thompson: h-index 193 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of California, Los Angeles: institution h-index 1,923 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 22343374) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 47 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1097/wad.0b013e3182163b62
- PubMed: 22343374
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
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. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Apostolova, L. G., Green, A. E., Babakchanian, S., Hwang, K. S., Chou, Y. Y., Toga, A. W., et al. (2012). Hippocampal atrophy and ventricular enlargement in normal aging, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer Disease. Alzheimer disease and associated disorders. https://doi.org/10.1097/wad.0b013e3182163b62
Vancouver
Apostolova LG, Green AE, Babakchanian S, Hwang KS, Chou YY, Toga AW, et al. Hippocampal atrophy and ventricular enlargement in normal aging, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer Disease. Alzheimer disease and associated disorders. 2012. doi:10.1097/wad.0b013e3182163b62. PMID: 22343374.
BibTeX
@article{apostolova2012-22343374,
author = {Apostolova, L. G. and Green, A. E. and Babakchanian, S. and Hwang, K. S. and Chou, Y. Y. and Toga, A. W. and Thompson, P. M.},
title = {{Hippocampal atrophy and ventricular enlargement in normal aging, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer Disease}},
journal = {Alzheimer disease and associated disorders},
year = {2012},
doi = {10.1097/wad.0b013e3182163b62},
pmid = {22343374},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/wad.0b013e3182163b62}
}
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