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Reduced medial temporal lobe N-acetylaspartate in cognitively impaired but nondemented patients
Chao LL, Schuff N, Kramer JH, Du AT, Capizzano AA, O'Neill J, Wolkowitz OM, Jagust WJ et al.. Neurology, 2005-01-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Background N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) and parietal lobe gray matter (GM) is diminished in Alzheimer disease (AD). Because NAA is considered a marker of neuronal integrity, reduced medial temporal and parietal lobe NAA could be an early indication of dementia-related pathology in elderly individuals. Objectives 1) To determine whether cognitively impaired but nondemented (CIND) elderly individuals exhibit a similar pattern of reduced medial temporal and parietal lobe NAA as AD patients. 2) To compare regional NAA patterns, hippocampal and neocortical gray matter (GM) volumes in CIND patients who remained cognitively stable and those who became demented over 3.6 years of follow-up. 3) To examine the relationship between memory performance, medial temporal lobe NAA, and hippocampal volume. Methods Seventeen CIND, 24 AD, and 24 cognitively normal subjects were studied using MRSI and MRI. Results Relative to controls, CIND patients had reduced MTL NAA (19 to 21%, p = 0.005), hippocampal (11 to 14%, p Conclusion Reduced medial temporal lobe N-acetylaspartate, together with reduced hippocampal and neocortical gray matter volumes, may be early indications of dementia-related pathology in subjects at high risk for developing dementia.
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APA 7th
Chao, L. L., Schuff, N., Kramer, J. H., Du, A. T., Capizzano, A. A., O'Neill, J., et al. (2005). Reduced medial temporal lobe N-acetylaspartate in cognitively impaired but nondemented patients. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000149638.45635.ff
Vancouver
Chao LL, Schuff N, Kramer JH, Du AT, Capizzano AA, O'Neill J, et al. Reduced medial temporal lobe N-acetylaspartate in cognitively impaired but nondemented patients. Neurology. 2005. doi:10.1212/01.wnl.0000149638.45635.ff. PMID: 15668426.
BibTeX
@article{chao2005-15668426,
author = {Chao, L. L. and Schuff, N. and Kramer, J. H. and Du, A. T. and Capizzano, A. A. and O'Neill, J. and Wolkowitz, O. M. and Jagust, W. J. and others},
title = {{Reduced medial temporal lobe N-acetylaspartate in cognitively impaired but nondemented patients}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2005},
doi = {10.1212/01.wnl.0000149638.45635.ff},
pmid = {15668426},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/01.wnl.0000149638.45635.ff}
}
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Key findings
- Results Relative to controls, CIND patients had reduced MTL NAA (19 to 21%, p = 0.005), hippocampal (11 to 14%, p < or = 0.04), and neocortical GM (5%, p = 0.05) volumes.
Why it matters
Cognitively impaired but nondemented patients had reduced medial temporal lobe N-acetylaspartate and reduced hippocampal and neocortical gray matter volumes compared with controls. The authors suggest these may be early indications of dementia-related pathology in people at high risk, but this is not a treatment, cure or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 44/100
Published in a leading specialty 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 | 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 | 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 | 2005 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| 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 81 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.5 citations a year over 23 year(s) since 2005 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 6 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 5 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Michael W. Weiner: h-index 26 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of California, San Francisco: institution h-index 1,915 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 15668426) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1212/01.wnl.0000149638.45635.ff
- PubMed: 15668426
- 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).
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