Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Objective Beyond age, having a family history is the most significant risk factor for Alzheimer disease (AD). This longitudinal brain imaging study examines whether there are differential patterns of regional gray matter atrophy in cognitively healthy elderly subjects with (FH+) and without (FH-) a family history of late-onset AD. Methods As part of the KU Brain Aging Project, cognitively intact individuals with a maternal history (FHm, n = 11), paternal history (FHp, n = 10), or no parental history of AD (FH-, n = 32) similar in age, gender, education, and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score received MRI at baseline and 2-year follow-up. A custom voxel-based morphometry processing stream was used to examine regional differences in atrophy between FH groups, controlling for age, gender, and APOE ε4 (APOE4) status. We also analyzed APOE4-related atrophy. Results Cognitively normal FH+ individuals had significantly increased whole-brain gray matter atrophy and CSF expansion compared to FH-. When FH+ groups were split, only FHm was associated with longitudinal measures of brain change. Moreover, our voxel-based analysis revealed that FHm subjects had significantly greater atrophy in the precuneus and parahippocampus/hippocampus regions compared to FH- and FHp subjects, independent of APOE4 status, gender, and age. Individuals with an ε4 allele had more regional atrophy in the frontal cortex compared to ε4 noncarriers. Conclusions We conclude that FHm individuals without dementia have progressive gray matter volume reductions in select AD-vulnerable brain regions, specifically the precuneus and parahippocampal gyrus. These data complement and extend reports of regional cerebral metabolic differences and increases in amyloid-β burden in FHm subjects, which may be related to a higher risk for developing AD.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Honea, R. A., Swerdlow, R. H., Vidoni, E. D., & Burns, J. M. (2011). Progressive regional atrophy in normal adults with a maternal history of Alzheimer disease. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e31820e7b74
Vancouver
Honea RA, Swerdlow RH, Vidoni ED, Burns JM. Progressive regional atrophy in normal adults with a maternal history of Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 2011. doi:10.1212/wnl.0b013e31820e7b74. PMID: 21357834.
BibTeX
@article{honea2011-21357834,
author = {Honea, R. A. and Swerdlow, R. H. and Vidoni, E. D. and Burns, J. M.},
title = {{Progressive regional atrophy in normal adults with a maternal history of Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0b013e31820e7b74},
pmid = {21357834},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e31820e7b74}
}
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.
Key findings
- Objective Beyond age, having a family history is the most significant risk factor for Alzheimer disease (AD).
- Results Cognitively normal FH+ individuals had significantly increased whole-brain gray matter atrophy and CSF expansion compared to FH-.
- When FH+ groups were split, only FHm was associated with longitudinal measures of brain change.
- Moreover, our voxel-based analysis revealed that FHm subjects had significantly greater atrophy in the precuneus and parahippocampus/hippocampus regions compared to FH- and FHp subjects, independent of APOE4 status, gender, and age.
- Individuals with an ε4 allele had more regional atrophy in the frontal cortex compared to ε4 noncarriers.
Why it matters
In this small longitudinal imaging study, cognitively normal people whose mothers had Alzheimer disease showed greater brain atrophy over two years than those without a parental history. It describes a risk pattern and does not test any treatment or prevention.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 54/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over time |
| 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 | 2011 — 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 | 4 / 7 | Cited 98 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 5.8 citations a year over 17 year(s) since 2011 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 8.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 7 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 12 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Jeffrey Murray Burns: h-index 83 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Kansas: institution h-index 709 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 21357834) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 54 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0b013e31820e7b74
- PubMed: 21357834
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
Full text: free to read — PubMed Central lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 10 Oct 2026).
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