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Specific hippocampal volume reductions in individuals at risk for Alzheimer's disease
Convit A, De Leon MJ, Tarshish C, De Santi S, Tsui W, Rusinek H, George A.. Neurobiology of aging, 1997-03-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Our goal was to ascertain the involvement of the temporal lobe in the preclinical (not yet diagnosable) stages of dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT) by using MRI-derived volumes. We assessed anatomical subdivisions of the temporal lobe on three groups of carefully screened age- and education-matched elderly individuals: 27 normal elderly (NL), 22 individuals with minimal cognitive impairment (MCI), who did not fulfill DAT criteria but were regarded at high risk for future DAT, and 27 DAT individuals. We found hippocampal volume reductions of 14% for the MCI and 22% for the DAT group compared to the NL group. Utilizing regression analyses and after accounting for gender head size-age, generalized atrophy (CSF), and other temporal lobe subvolumes, the hippocampal volume separated NL from MCI individuals, correctly classifying 74%. For NL and MCI groups combined the hippocampal volume was the only temporal lobe subvolume related to delayed recall memory performance. When contrasting MCI and DAT individuals, the fusiform gyrus volume uniquely improved the ability of the hippocampal volume to separate MCI from DAT individuals from 74 to 80%. Our cross-sectional data suggest that, within the temporal lobe, specific hippocampal volume reductions separated the group at risk for DAT from the normal group. By the time impairments are sufficient to allow a diagnosis of DAT to be made, in addition to the medial temporal lobe volume reductions, the lateral temporal lobe is also showing volume reductions, most saliently involving the fusiform gyrus.
Key findings
- We found hippocampal volume reductions of 14% for the MCI and 22% for the DAT group compared to the NL group.
- Our cross-sectional data suggest that, within the temporal lobe, specific hippocampal volume reductions separated the group at risk for DAT from the normal group.
Why it matters
This cross-sectional study found that hippocampal volume was reduced by 14% in people with minimal cognitive impairment and 22% in those with Alzheimer's disease compared with normal elderly people. Hippocampal volume helped separate normal from at-risk individuals, but this is a structural finding and not a treatment or cure.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants22
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 55/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neurobiology of aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Neurobiology of Aging: journal h-index 263 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| 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 | 1997 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| Sample size | 1 / 4 | 22 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 | 6 / 7 | Cited 428 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 13.8 citations a year over 31 year(s) since 1997 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 7.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 31 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 24 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author AJAX ELIS GEORGE: h-index 45 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | New York University: institution h-index 1,612 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 9258889) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 55 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/s0197-4580(97)00001-8
- PubMed: 9258889
- Original source →
- Free full text: Neurobiology of Aging →
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
Convit, A., De Leon, M. J., Tarshish, C., De Santi, S., Tsui, W., Rusinek, H., et al. (1997). Specific hippocampal volume reductions in individuals at risk for Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiology of aging. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0197-4580(97)00001-8
Vancouver
Convit A, De Leon MJ, Tarshish C, De Santi S, Tsui W, Rusinek H, et al. Specific hippocampal volume reductions in individuals at risk for Alzheimer's disease. Neurobiology of aging. 1997. doi:10.1016/s0197-4580(97)00001-8. PMID: 9258889.
BibTeX
@article{convit1997-9258889,
author = {Convit, A. and De Leon, M. J. and Tarshish, C. and De Santi, S. and Tsui, W. and Rusinek, H. and George, A.},
title = {{Specific hippocampal volume reductions in individuals at risk for Alzheimer's disease}},
journal = {Neurobiology of aging},
year = {1997},
doi = {10.1016/s0197-4580(97)00001-8},
pmid = {9258889},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s0197-4580(97)00001-8}
}
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