Prefrontal cortex atrophy predicts dementia over a six-year period

Burgmans, S.; van Boxtel, M.P.J.; Smeets, F.; Vuurman, E.F.P.M.; Gronenschild, E.H.B.M.; Verhey, F.R.J.; Uylings, H.B.M.; Jolles, J.

doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2007.11.028

« Previous Next »Neurobiology of Aging
Volume 30, Issue 9 , Pages 1413-1419, September 2009

Prefrontal cortex atrophy predicts dementia over a six-year period

S. Burgmans
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Corresponding author at: Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands Tel.: +31 43 3881942; fax: +31 43 3884092.
M.P.J. van Boxtel
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
F. Smeets
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
E.F.P.M. Vuurman
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
E.H.B.M. Gronenschild
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
F.R.J. Verhey
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
H.B.M. Uylings
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, PO Box 7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
J. Jolles
- Department of Psychiatry and Neuropsychology, School for Mental Health and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands
- European Graduate School of Neuroscience (EURON), Maastricht University, PO Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, The Netherlands

Received 13 July 2007; received in revised form 10 October 2007; accepted 26 November 2007. published online 13 February 2008.

Abstract

The present study investigated prefrontal cortex (PFC) atrophy as a possible predictor of dementia. Eighty-eight older participants of the Maastricht Aging Study (MAAS) were administered for neuropsychological tests at baseline and after three years (t₃). Magnetic resonance images were acquired at t₃ and nine years after baseline all participants were screened for dementia. Three groups were distinguished: (1) participants who did not develop dementia or cognitive decline, (2) participants who did not develop dementia but did show significant cognitive decline, and (3) participants who developed dementia. Gray matter volume of structures in the PFC and medial temporal lobe (MTL) was measured. Prefrontal volume was significantly smaller in group 3 than in the other two groups, and PFC volume was significantly better than MTL volume in distinguishing between groups 2 and 3. These findings suggest that PFC atrophy is highly associated with dementia and can be considered an important predictor of the disease. It may even be a better predictor than the MTL atrophy that has been found in earlier studies.

Keywords: Prefrontal cortex, Dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Medial temporal lobe, Gray matter atrophy, Cognitive decline, Aging, Volumetry, MRI