Early Detection of Alzheimer’s Disease in Postmenopausal Women Using Thalamic Subnuclear Volumetry

Abstract

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and aging are intrinsically interconnected with each other and are mediated by molecular, cellular, and biological systems. In particular, a specific pattern of brain volume atrophy is the most profound risk factor for cognitive impairment, including AD, that is directly linked to aging. Thus, this study aimed to investigate knowledge on the early detection of AD in postmenopausal women, focusing on the volume changes of the subcortical regions, including the thalamic subnuclei, in women with AD vs. postmenopausal women. Twenty-one women with AD and twenty-one postmenopausal women without AD underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Women with AD showed significantly reduced volumes in the hippocampus, thalamus, and amygdala compared with postmenopausal women (p < 0.05, FWE-corrected). After adjustments for age, the right hippocampal volume was found to be significantly lower in the women with AD, but the volumes of the thalamus and amygdala were relatively unaffected. The women with AD exhibited significantly reduced volume in the right laterodorsal nucleus of the thalamus compared with the postmenopausal women (p < 0.05, Bonferroni-corrected). Our findings suggest that the reduced volume of both the right laterodorsal thalamic nucleus and right hippocampus may serve as a potential biomarker for the early detection of AD in postmenopausal women.