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Revealing heterogeneity in mild cognitive impairment based on individualized structural covariance network
Xiaotong Wei, Ronglong Xiong, Ping Xu, Tingting Zhang, Junjun Zhang, Zhenlan Jin, Ling Li. Alzheimer s Research & Therapy, 2025-05-15
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
In the ADNI dataset, MCI patients exhibited significant alterations in structural covariance edges, mainly involving the hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, and amygdala. Two robust MCI subtypes were identified. Subtype 1 showed faster disease progression relative to subtype 2, which was validated in the independent OASIS-3 dataset. Significant differences between two subtypes were found in clinical cognition and biomarkers, cerebral atrophy patterns, and enriched genes for metal ion transport and neuron projection development. Finally, correlation analysis and functional annotation further revealed that the affected edges were related to cognitive performance and implicated in memory and emotion terms. In summary, these findings offer new perspectives into understanding the heterogeneity of MCI and facilitate strategies for future precision medicine.
Key findings
- In the ADNI dataset, MCI patients exhibited significant alterations in structural covariance edges, mainly involving the hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, and amygdala.
- Subtype 1 showed faster disease progression relative to subtype 2, which was validated in the independent OASIS-3 dataset.
- Significant differences between two subtypes were found in clinical cognition and biomarkers, cerebral atrophy patterns, and enriched genes for metal ion transport and neuron projection development.
- Finally, correlation analysis and functional annotation further revealed that the affected edges were related to cognitive performance and implicated in memory and emotion terms.
- In summary, these findings offer new perspectives into understanding the heterogeneity of MCI and facilitate strategies for future precision medicine.
Why it matters
This study identified two subtypes of mild cognitive impairment based on structural covariance networks, with one subtype showing faster disease progression than the other. It describes heterogeneity in mild cognitive impairment and does not test any treatment, cure or prevention.
Study details
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 38/100
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 s Research & Therapy) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Alzheimer s Research & Therapy: journal h-index 146 (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 | 2025 — within 3 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 | 2 / 7 | Cited 8 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 1 / 5 | 2.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 5.1× 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 | 1 / 4 | Cited 8 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Ling Li: h-index 34 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | University of Electronic Science and Technology of China: institution h-index 530 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40375286) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 38 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1186/s13195-025-01752-4
- PubMed: 40375286
- Original source →
- Free full text: Alzheimer s Research & Therapy →
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
Wei, X., Xiong, R., Xu, P., Zhang, T., Zhang, J., Jin, Z., et al. (2025). Revealing heterogeneity in mild cognitive impairment based on individualized structural covariance network. Alzheimer s Research & Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-025-01752-4
Vancouver
Wei X, Xiong R, Xu P, Zhang T, Zhang J, Jin Z, et al. Revealing heterogeneity in mild cognitive impairment based on individualized structural covariance network. Alzheimer s Research & Therapy. 2025. doi:10.1186/s13195-025-01752-4. PMID: 40375286.
BibTeX
@article{wei2025-40375286,
author = {Wei, Xiaotong and Xiong, Ronglong and Xu, Ping and Zhang, Tingting and Zhang, Junjun and Jin, Zhenlan and Li, Ling},
title = {{Revealing heterogeneity in mild cognitive impairment based on individualized structural covariance network}},
journal = {Alzheimer s Research \& Therapy},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1186/s13195-025-01752-4},
pmid = {40375286},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1186/s13195-025-01752-4}
}
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