Lihua Qiu PhD, MD, Presenter: Nothing to Disclose

Yong He, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Hehan Tang BS, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Yi Zhou, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Zhengyan Li, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Weiwei Zhang, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Lanlan Wang, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Qiyong Gong, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

Ling Zou MD, Abstract Co-Author: Nothing to Disclose

To clarify the gray matter and white matter integrity changes in nondemented elderly subjects with AD risk gene of C allele in clusterin, and their correlation with cognitive performance.

Thirty-one subjects with AD risk gene of clusterin C (CLU-C) allele carriers and 15 subjects with non C/C (TT+TC) genotype were recruited in our study. High resolution 3D brain structure, DTI data and cognitive measurements（measured by using the Mini-Mental State Exam (MMSE), Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale (ADAS), Wechsler Memory Scale and Montreal Cognitive Assessment ( MoCA)）were available for all subjects. By using voxel-based analysis, gray matter volume (GMV), gray matter concentration (GMC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were compared between C/C genotype and non C/C genotype subjects with a two-sample t test and were tested for correlation with cognitive measurements. 

There was no significant difference in age, sex, handedness and cognitive measurements between the two groups. Compared with the non C/C genotype carriers, the C/C genotype carrier group showed reduced GMC in the left parahippocampal gyrus (PHC), right middle frontal gyrus and right temporal middle gyrus as well as increased GMC in left middle frontal gyrus, right fusiform and increased GMV in left middle frontal gyrus (p<0.001). The C/C genotype carrier group also showed decreased FA in left external capsule and increased FA value in left temporal sub-gyrus and left anterior cingulate sub-gyrus. Furthermore, the GMC of left PHC was negatively associated with MoCA score (r=-0.564, p=0.045) and positively related with the ADAS (r=0.753, p=0.003) in non C/C genotype carrier group while the FA value in left external capsule were positively related with the MMSE score (r=0.531, p=0.003), digit span score (r=0.377, p=0.044) and language proficiency score (r=0.415, p=0.025) in C/C genotype carrier group.

CLU-C allele carrier showed function related GMV,GMC and white matter integrity alteration in brain regions implicated in AD patients, which may testify the CLU-C allele to be a valid genetic risk factor for late-onset AD.

Our findings provide the possible pre-clinical neuroimaging phenotype of AD, add the understanding of the genetics of AD pathology and the necessity of targeted preventive and therapic strategies in particular subpopulation with AD risk.

Qiu, L, He, Y, Tang, H, Zhou, Y, Li, Z, Zhang, W, Wang, L, Gong, Q, Zou, L, Gray Matter and White Matter Microstructural Change in Nondemented Elderly Persons with CLU Gene.  Radiological Society of North America 2014 Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting, - ,Chicago IL. http://archive.rsna.org/2014/14015911.html