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MCI Diagnosis and Neighborhood Disadvantage Predict Differences in White Matter Microstructure in a Rural Aging Cohort
Andrew R. Bender, Pavithran Pattiam Giriprakash, Dietmar Cordes, Xiaowei Zhuang, Jessica Caldwell, Justin B. Miller. Alzheimer s & Dementia, 2024-12-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Abstract Background Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) studies show cerebral white matter alterations are associated with both mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and contextual psychosocial factors. Individuals living in rural communities face increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, but little is known regarding the sensitivity of dMRI markers to incident MCI or psychosocial stressors in this population. Results The VBA models showed both MCI diagnosis and elevated neighborhood disadvantage predicted significantly greater (familywise error corrected p<.05) free water and reduced crossing fiber entropy in centrum semiovale and internal capsule (Figure 1). Uncorrected models for both diagnosis and higher ADI level revealed widespread associations with dMRI measures of free water, tensor parameters, and fiber density that were nonsignificant following permutation‐based corrections. Conclusion These preliminary findings reveal white matter alterations associated with consensus MCI diagnosis and to socioeconomic differences in a clinical cohort of rural‐dwelling older adults. The present results highlight the value of modeling extracellular cerebral spinal fluid or ‘free water’ as a marker of microstructural changes associated with both cognitive impairment and contextual psychosocial factors.
Key findings
- Abstract Background Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) studies show cerebral white matter alterations are associated with both mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and contextual psychosocial factors.
- Individuals living in rural communities face increased risk for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, but little is known regarding the sensitivity of dMRI markers to incident MCI or psychosocial stressors in this population.
- Results The VBA models showed both MCI diagnosis and elevated neighborhood disadvantage predicted significantly greater (familywise error corrected p<.05) free water and reduced crossing fiber entropy in centrum semiovale and internal capsule (Figure 1).
- Uncorrected models for both diagnosis and higher ADI level revealed widespread associations with dMRI measures of free water, tensor parameters, and fiber density that were nonsignificant following permutation‐based corrections.
- Conclusion These preliminary findings reveal white matter alterations associated with consensus MCI diagnosis and to socioeconomic differences in a clinical cohort of rural‐dwelling older adults.
Why it matters
In a rural aging cohort, both a diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment and greater neighborhood disadvantage predicted differences in white matter microstructure on brain scans. The authors describe these as preliminary findings, and the study does not test any treatment or prevention.
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Study details
- Participants69
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 38/100
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 (Alzheimer s & Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (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 | 4 / 5 | 2024 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 69 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 | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 4 year(s) since 2024 |
| Impact for its field and year | 0 / 6 | Cited 0.0× 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 | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Justin B. Miller: h-index 16 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Michigan: institution h-index 2,240 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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APA 7th
Bender, A. R., Giriprakash, P. P., Cordes, D., Zhuang, X., Caldwell, J., & Miller, J. B. (2024). MCI Diagnosis and Neighborhood Disadvantage Predict Differences in White Matter Microstructure in a Rural Aging Cohort. Alzheimer s & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.092508
Vancouver
Bender AR, Giriprakash PP, Cordes D, Zhuang X, Caldwell J, Miller JB. MCI Diagnosis and Neighborhood Disadvantage Predict Differences in White Matter Microstructure in a Rural Aging Cohort. Alzheimer s & Dementia. 2024. doi:10.1002/alz.092508.
BibTeX
@article{bender2024-9b854062,
author = {Bender, Andrew R. and Giriprakash, Pavithran Pattiam and Cordes, Dietmar and Zhuang, Xiaowei and Caldwell, Jessica and Miller, Justin B.},
title = {{MCI Diagnosis and Neighborhood Disadvantage Predict Differences in White Matter Microstructure in a Rural Aging Cohort}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia},
year = {2024},
doi = {10.1002/alz.092508},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/alz.092508}
}