Original Research Article

In vivo Quantification of Brain Volumes in Subcortical Vascular Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease
An MRI-Based Study
J. Pantel^a, J. Schröder^a, M. Essig^b, M. Jauss^a, G. Schneider^a, K. Eysenbach^a, R. von Kummer^c, K. Baudendistel^b, L.R. Schad^b, M.V. Knopp<sup>b

a</sup> Section of Geriatric Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, University of Heidelberg,
^b German Cancer Research Institute (DKFZ), Heidelberg,
^c Department of Neuroradiology, University of Dresden, Germany

Address of Corresponding Author

Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord 1998;9:309-316 (DOI: 10.1159/000017082)

  Key Words

• Subcortical vascular dementia
• Alzheimer's disease
• MRI
• Volumetry

  Abstract

Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to assess global and regional cerebral volumes in patients with a clinical diagnosis of subcortical vascular dementia (VD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Whole brain volume, cerebrospinal fluid volume, volumes of the temporal, frontal and parietal lobes, the cerebellum and the amygdala-hippocampus complex were determined using a personal computer-based software. Seventeen patients with VD, 22 patients with AD and 13 healthy controls were included. Analysis of covariance using age as covariate demonstrated significant mean differences between controls and dementia groups with respect to all morphological parameters. However, apart from the volume of the cerebellum no significant volumetric differences were found between VD and AD. These results indicate that MRI-based volumetry allows differentiation between AD or VD from normal controls and that measurement of cerebellar volume may be of use to separate vascular and degenerative dementia. However, since the distribution of cerebral atrophy in both dementia groups is very similar, it is suggested that the atrophic changes are not specific to the underlying cause but rather reflect the selective vulnerability of neuronal structures.

  Author Contacts

Dr. med. Johannes Pantel
Department of Psychiatry, University of Heidelberg
Voss Strasse 4, D-69115 Heidelberg (Germany)
Tel. +49 6221 564452, Fax +49 6221 565477
E-Mail johannes_pantel@ukl.uni-heidelberg.de

  Article Information

Received: Accepted: February 26, 1998
Number of Print Pages : 8
Number of Figures : 1, Number of Tables : 2, Number of References : 53