Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study of Olfactory Identification Deficit in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment

Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

Gang Li¹  Yue Zhang¹  Yongjia Shao²  Hang Qi²  Shangci Hao²  Qian Xi²  Bin Ji²  Zijian Wang³ 

[1] Department of Neurology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China;Department of Radiology, Shanghai East Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China;School of Computer Science and Technology, Donghua University, Shanghai, China;

关键词: diffusion tensor imaging;    tract-based spatial statistics;    mild cognitive impairment;    Alzheimer’s disease;    olfactory dysfunction;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fnagi.2021.765432

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Objective: To explore the relationship between white matter changes and olfactory ability among patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and to develop a tool to predict the development of Alzheimer’s disease among patients with MCI.Methods: The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) was used for cognitive assessments, and the 70% isopropanol test paper was used to evaluate olfactory function. Tract-based spatial statistics, based on the diffusion tensor imaging technology, were used to obtain relevant parameters, and behavioral and imaging results were compared between patients with MCI (n = 36) and healthy older adults (n = 32).Results: The olfactory ability of MCI patients was lower overall, which was positively correlated with the MoCA score. Fractional anisotropy (FA) changes significantly of all parameters. Lower FA regions were mainly located in the corpus callosum, the orbitofrontal gyrus, and the left occipital lobe. The olfactory score was significantly correlated with the FA value of the orbitofrontal gyrus. Fibrous connections in several brain regions, such as the entorhinal cortex, were stronger in patients with MCI.Conclusion: The olfactory ability of MCI patients in our group was positively correlated with the neuropsychological scale results. Impairment in olfactory function was superior to memory deficits for predicting cognitive decline among cognitively intact participants. The fibrous connections in several brain regions, such as the entorhinal cortex, were higher in patients with MCI, which suggested that there may be a compensatory mechanism in the olfactory pathway in MCI patients. The decline in olfactory function may be a significant and useful indicator of neuropathological changes in MCI patients and an effective marker for the development of cognitive decline and dementia.

【 授权许可】

Unknown