Amnestic Syndrome in Memory Clinics: Similar Morphological Brain Patterns in Older Adults with and without Alzheimer’s Disease

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Lalive, Hadrien M.^a | Griffa, Alessandra^{a; b; *} | Carlier, Sabrina^a | Nasuti, Mirco^a | Di Noto, Tommaso^{c; d; e} | Maréchal, Bénédicte^{c; d; e} | Rouaud, Olivier^a | Allali, Gilles^a

Affiliations: [a] Leenaards Memory Centre, Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland | [b] Medical Image Processing Laboratory, Neuro-X Institute, École Polytechnique Fédérale De Lausanne – EPFL, Geneva, Switzerland | [c] Advanced Clinical Imaging Technology, Siemens Healthineers International AG, Lausanne, Switzerland | [d] Signal Processing Laboratory – LTS5, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne – EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland | [e] Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Alessandra Griffa, Leenaards Memory Center, Lausanne University Hospital and University of Lausanne, Chem. de Mont-Paisible 16, 1011 Lausannne, Switzerland. E-mails: alessandra.griffa@gmail.com, alessandra.griffa@chuv.ch.

Abstract: Background:Amnestic syndrome of the hippocampal type (ASHT) in Memory Clinics is a presentation common to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, ASHT can be found in other neurodegenerative disorders. Objective:To compare brain morphometry including hippocampal volumes between amnestic older adults with and without AD pathology and investigate their relationship with memory performance and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers. Methods:Brain morphometry of 92 consecutive patients (72.5±6.8 years old; 39% female) with Free and Cued Selective Recall Reminding Test (FCSRT) total recall < 40/48 was assessed with an automated algorithm and compared between AD and non-AD patients, as defined by CSF biomarkers. Results:AD and non-AD patients presented comparable brain morphology. Total recall was associated to hippocampal volume irrespectively from AD pathology. Conclusions:Brain morphometry, including hippocampal volumes, is similar between AD and non-AD older adults with ASHT evaluated in a Memory Clinic, underlying the importance of using molecular biomarkers for the diagnosis of AD.

Keywords: Alzheimer’s disease, amnestic, hippocampus, magnetic resonance imaging

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-240026

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 100, no. 1, pp. 333-343, 2024