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Tracking atrophy progression in familial Alzheimer's disease: a serial MRI study
Ridha BH, Barnes J, Bartlett JW, Godbolt A, Pepple T, Rossor MN, Fox NC.. The Lancet. Neurology, 2006-10-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Plain-language summary
Background Serial MRI scanning of autosomal dominant mutation carriers for Alzheimer's disease provides an opportunity to track changes that could predate symptoms or clinical diagnosis of the disease. We used hierarchical modelling to assess how hippocampal and whole-brain volumes change as familial Alzheimer's disease progresses from the presymptomatic stage through to diagnosis. Methods Nine mutation carriers had serial clinical assessments and volumetric MRI scans (41 scans: range 3-8 per patient) at different clinical stages (presymptomatic, mild cognitive impairment, or clinical Alzheimer's disease). 25 healthy controls had serial scanning (54 scans: range 2-4 per patient) for comparison. We measured whole brain and total hippocampal volumes using semi-automated techniques, and adjusted for total intracranial volume. Hierarchical models were developed to estimate differences in volume and atrophy rate between mutation carriers and controls in relation to when the disease was clinically diagnosed. Findings Mutation carriers had significantly increased hippocampal and whole-brain atrophy rates compared with controls and these differences increased with time. Differences in hippocampal and whole-brain atrophy rates between controls and mutation carriers were evident 5.5 and 3.5 years, respectively, before diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. At a cross-sectional level, differences in mean hippocampal volume between mutation carriers and controls became significant 3 years before clinical diagnosis, whereas differences in mean brain volumes became significant only 1 year before diagnosis. Interpretation Structural changes can be seen on MRI scans that predate the clinical onset of familial Alzheimer's disease. Longitudinal measures of atrophy rates can identify differences between mutation carriers and controls 2-3 years earlier than cross-sectional volumetric measures.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Ridha, B. H., Barnes, J., Bartlett, J. W., Godbolt, A., Pepple, T., Rossor, M. N., et al. (2006). Tracking atrophy progression in familial Alzheimer's disease: a serial MRI study. The Lancet. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1474-4422(06)70550-6
Vancouver
Ridha BH, Barnes J, Bartlett JW, Godbolt A, Pepple T, Rossor MN, et al. Tracking atrophy progression in familial Alzheimer's disease: a serial MRI study. The Lancet. Neurology. 2006. doi:10.1016/s1474-4422(06)70550-6. PMID: 16987729.
BibTeX
@article{ridha2006-16987729,
author = {Ridha, B. H. and Barnes, J. and Bartlett, J. W. and Godbolt, A. and Pepple, T. and Rossor, M. N. and Fox, N. C.},
title = {{Tracking atrophy progression in familial Alzheimer's disease: a serial MRI study}},
journal = {The Lancet. Neurology},
year = {2006},
doi = {10.1016/s1474-4422(06)70550-6},
pmid = {16987729},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/s1474-4422(06)70550-6}
}
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.
Key findings
- Findings Mutation carriers had significantly increased hippocampal and whole-brain atrophy rates compared with controls and these differences increased with time.
- At a cross-sectional level, differences in mean hippocampal volume between mutation carriers and controls became significant 3 years before clinical diagnosis, whereas differences in mean brain volumes became significant only 1 year before diagnosis.
Why it matters
In nine people carrying mutations that cause familial Alzheimer's disease, shrinkage of the hippocampus and whole brain was faster than in healthy controls, and these differences appeared years before diagnosis. This suggests that MRI measures of brain shrinkage could help track disease progression before symptoms begin, though the study was small.
Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 59/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (The Lancet. Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | The Lancet Neurology: journal h-index 457 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in 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 | 2006 — 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) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 325 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 14.8 citations a year over 22 year(s) since 2006 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 12.5× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 4 / 6 | Cited by 33 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 20 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Nick C. Fox: h-index 173 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University College London: institution h-index 2,029 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 16987729) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 59 / 100 | — |
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