AUTHOR=Teipel Stefan J. , Cavedo Enrica , Hampel Harald , Grothe Michel J. ,  Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative ,  Alzheimer Precision Medicine Initiative (APMI) , Aguilar Lisi Flores , Babiloni Claudio , Baldacci Filippo , Benda Norbert , Black Keith L. , Bokde Arun L. W. , Bonuccelli Ubaldo , Broich Karl , Bun René S. , Cacciola Francesco , Castrillo Juan , Cavedo Enrica , Ceravolo Roberto , chiesa Patrizia A. , Colliot Olivier , Coman Cristina-Maria , Corvol Jean-Christophe , Cuello Augusto Claudio , Cummings Jeffrey L. , Depypere Herman , Dubois Bruno , Duggento Andrea , Durrleman Stanley , Escott-price Valentina , Federoff Howard , Ferretti Maria Teresa , Fiandaca Massimo , Frank Richard A. , Garaci Francesco , Genthon Remy , George Nathalie , Giorgi Filippo S. , Graziani Manuela , Haberkamp Marion , Habert Marie-Odile , Hampel Harald , Herholz Karl , Karran Eric , KIM Seung H. , Koronyo Yosef , Koronyo-Hamaoui Maya , Lamari Foudil , Langevin Todd , Lehéricy Stéphane , Lista Simone , Lorenceau Jean , Mapstone Mark , Neri Christian , Nisticò Robert , Nyasse-Messene Francis , O'Bryant Sid E. , Perry George , Ritchie Craig , Rojkova Katrine , Rossi Simone , Saidi Amira , Santarnecchi Emiliano , Schneider Lon S. , Sporns Olaf , Toschi Nicola , Verdooner Steven R. , Vergallo Andrea , Villain Nicolas , Welikovitch Lindsay A. , Woodcock Janet , Younesi Erfan 

TITLE=Basal Forebrain Volume, but Not Hippocampal Volume, Is a Predictor of Global Cognitive Decline in Patients With Alzheimer's Disease Treated With Cholinesterase Inhibitors

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Neurology

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2018

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/neurology/articles/10.3389/fneur.2018.00642

DOI=10.3389/fneur.2018.00642

ISSN=1664-2295

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Background:</bold> Predicting the progression of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is important for treatment selection and patient counseling. Structural MRI markers such as hippocampus or basal forebrain volumes might represent useful instruments for the prediction of cognitive decline. The primary objective was to determine the predictive value of hippocampus and basal forebrain volumes for global and domain specific cognitive decline in AD dementia during cholinergic treatment.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> We used MRI and cognitive data from 124 patients with the clinical diagnosis of AD dementia, derived from the ADNI-1 cohort, who were on standard of care cholinesterase inhibitor treatment during a follow-up period between 0.4 and 3.1 years. We used linear mixed effects models with cognitive function as outcome to assess the main effects as well as two-way interactions between baseline volumes and time controlling for age, sex, and total intracranial volume. This model accounts for individual variation in follow-up times.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Basal forebrain volume, but not hippocampus volume, was a significant predictor of rates of global cognitive decline. Larger volumes were associated with smaller rates of cognitive decline. Left hippocampus volume had a modest association with rates of episodic memory decline. Baseline performance in global cognition and memory was significantly associated with hippocampus and basal forebrain volumes; in addition, basal forebrain volume was associated with baseline performance in executive function.</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> Our findings indicate that in AD dementia patients, basal forebrain volume may be a useful marker to predict subsequent cognitive decline during cholinergic treatment.</p>