Hippocampal atrophy correlates with severe cognitive impairment in elderly patients with suspected normal pressure hydrocephalus.
| Publication Type | Academic Article |
| Authors | Golomb J, de Leon M, George A, Kluger A, Convit A, Rusinek H, de Santi S, Litt A, Foo S, Ferris S |
| Journal | J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry |
| Volume | 57 |
| Issue | 5 |
| Pagination | 590-3 |
| Date Published | 05/01/1994 |
| ISSN | 0022-3050 |
| Keywords | Alzheimer Disease, Hippocampus, Hydrocephalus, Normal Pressure |
| Abstract | Measurements of hippocampal formation atrophy using MRI have been useful in distinguishing demented patients with a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease from cognitively normal controls. To determine whether there is a similar relationship between hippocampal size and dementia in elderly patients suspected of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), the authors obtained mini-mental status examination (MMSE) scores and MRI measurements of hippocampal size and CSF volume on 16 elderly patients whose severe ventriculomegaly and unexplained gait impairment made NPH a probable diagnosis. Hippocampal size correlated strongly with MMSE score (r = 0.75, p < 0.001); no significant MMSE correlation was found for ventricular CSF volume or extra-ventricular/ventricular CSF ratio. It was concluded that hippocampal atrophy is associated with severe cognitive dysfunction in many elderly patients with a diagnosis of NPH. As a hypothesis for further investigation, the detection of such atrophy may help identify cases where the presence of a pathology of Alzheimer's disease complicates the diagnosis of NPH. |
| DOI | 10.1136/jnnp.57.5.590 |
| PubMed ID | 8201330 |
| PubMed Central ID | PMC1072921 |