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The Relationship Between Brain Structure and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Dementia
Ching‐Chi Hsu, Cheng‐Chen Chang, Jia‐Fu Lee, Jeng‐Yuan Chiou, Shiow‐Ing Wang, Fan Yang. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 2025-12-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
All volumes showed the smallest in dementia, the intermediate in MCI, and the largest in healthy controls. Higher total NPI scores were significantly associated with smaller volumes of hippocampal and gray matter volumes and larger cerebrospinal fluid volume, with the strongest correlations in the dementia group. By domain, NPI-mood symptoms were correlated with reduced hippocampal, temporal, and frontal volumes. NPI-psychosis symptoms also correlated with frontotemporal regions, but less extensively. Mood symptoms were most strongly linked to temporolimbic atrophy. The study supports associations between emerging neuropsychiatric manifestations and accumulating structural brain damage along the pathological cascade.
Key findings
- All volumes showed the smallest in dementia, the intermediate in MCI, and the largest in healthy controls.
- Higher total NPI scores were significantly associated with smaller volumes of hippocampal and gray matter volumes and larger cerebrospinal fluid volume, with the strongest correlations in the dementia group.
- By domain, NPI-mood symptoms were correlated with reduced hippocampal, temporal, and frontal volumes.
- NPI-psychosis symptoms also correlated with frontotemporal regions, but less extensively.
- Mood symptoms were most strongly linked to temporolimbic atrophy.
Why it matters
Smaller brain volumes were found in dementia compared with mild cognitive impairment and healthy controls, and higher neuropsychiatric symptom scores were associated with smaller hippocampal and gray matter volumes and larger cerebrospinal fluid volume. This cross-sectional study describes associations between brain structure and symptoms, not a treatment or cure.
Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants1,536
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 42/100
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 (International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry: journal h-index 190 (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 | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 1,536 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 | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 1 / 6 | Cited 0.6× 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 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 1 / 4 | Last-listed author Fan Yang: h-index 16 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | The University of Osaka: institution h-index 1,138 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 6 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41367056) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 42 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
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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. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Hsu, C., Chang, C., Lee, J., Chiou, J., Wang, S., & Yang, F. (2025). The Relationship Between Brain Structure and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Dementia. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.70182
Vancouver
Hsu C, Chang C, Lee J, Chiou J, Wang S, Yang F. The Relationship Between Brain Structure and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Dementia. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2025. doi:10.1002/gps.70182. PMID: 41367056.
BibTeX
@article{hsu2025-41367056,
author = {Hsu, Ching‐Chi and Chang, Cheng‐Chen and Lee, Jia‐Fu and Chiou, Jeng‐Yuan and Wang, Shiow‐Ing and Yang, Fan},
title = {{The Relationship Between Brain Structure and Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Dementia}},
journal = {International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1002/gps.70182},
pmid = {41367056},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/gps.70182}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.