Convergent Results from Neuropsychology and from Neuroimaging in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment

Abstract

Background/Aims: To investigate the correspondence between neuropsychological single measures and variation in fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) glucose metabolism and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) cortical thickness in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) patients. Methods: Forty-two elderly controls and 73 MCI subjects underwent FDG PET and MRI scanning. Backward regression analyses with PET and MRI regions were used as dependent variables, while Rey Auditory Verbal Memory Test (RAVLT) recall, Trail Making Test B (TMT B), and a composite test score (RAVLT learning and immediate recall, TMT A, COWAT, and letter-number sequencing) were used as predictor variables. Results: The composite score predicted variation in cortical metabolism; supplementary analyses showed that TMT B was significantly correlated with PET metabolism as well. RAVLT and TMT B were significant predictors of variation in MRI cortical thickness. Conclusion: Our results indicate that RAVLT and TMT B are sensitive to variation in Alzheimer disease neuroimaging markers.