Voxelwise Meta-Analysis of Gray Matter Abnormalities in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Subjective Cognitive Decline Using Activation Likelihood Estimation

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Chen, Shanshan^{a; 1} | Xu, Wenwen^{a; 1} | Xue, Chen^b | Hu, Guanjie^{c; d} | Ma, Wenying^a | Qi, Wenzhang^b | Dong, Lin^a | Lin, Xingjian^{a; *} | Chen, Jiu^{c; d; *}

Affiliations: [a] Department of Neurology, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China | [b] Department of Radiology, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China | [c] Institute of Neuropsychiatry, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China | [d] Institute of Brain Functional Imaging, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Xingjian Lin, Department of Neurology, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No.264, Guangzhou Road, Gulou District, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China. Tel.: +86 025 82296097; E-mail: linxingjian@njmu.edu.cn.; Jiu Chen, Institute of Neuropsychiatry, Institute of Brain Functional Imaging, the Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, No.264, Guangzhou Road, Gulou District, Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210029, China. Tel.: +86 025 82296623; E-mail: ericcst@aliyun.com.

Note: [1] These authors contributed equally to this work.

Abstract: Background:Voxel-based morphometry studies have not yielded consistent results among patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and subjective cognitive decline (SCD). Objective:Therefore, we aimed to conduct a meta-analysis of gray matter (GM) abnormalities acquired from these studies to determine their respective neuroanatomical changes. Methods:We systematically searched for voxel-based whole-brain morphometry studies that compared MCI or SCD subjects with healthy controls in PubMed, Web of Science, and EMBASE databases. We used the coordinate-based method of activation likelihood estimation to determine GM changes in SCD, MCI, and MCI sub-groups (amnestic MCI and non-amnestic MCI). Results:A total of 45 studies were included in our meta-analysis. In the MCI group, we found structural atrophy of the bilateral hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus (PHG), amygdala, right lateral globus pallidus, right insula, and left middle temporal gyrus. The aMCI group exhibited GM atrophy in the bilateral hippocampus, PHG, and amygdala. The naMCI group presented with structural atrophy in the right putamen, right insula, right precentral gyrus, left medial/superior frontal gyrus, and left anterior cingulate. The right lingual gyrus, right cuneus, and left medial frontal gyrus were atrophic GM regions in the SCD group. Conclusion:Our meta-analysis identified unique patterns of neuroanatomical alternations in both the MCI and SCD group. Structural changes in SCD patients provide new evidence for the notion that subtle impairment of visual function, perception, and cognition may be related to early signs of cognitive impairment. In addition, our findings provide a foundation for future targeted interventions at different stages of preclinical Alzheimer’s disease.

Keywords: Activation likelihood estimation, meta-analysis, mild cognitive impairment, preclinical Alzheimer’s disease, subjective cognitive decline, voxel-based morphometry

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-200659

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 77, no. 4, pp. 1495-1512, 2020