Voxel- and surface-based morphometry in the cortical thickness and cortical and subcortical gray matter volume in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease

AimThis study aimed to investigate alterations in whole-brain cortical thickness (CT) and cortical and subcortical gray matter volume (GMV) in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) compared with healthy controls (HC) using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and surface-based morphometry (SBM). Furthermo...

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Main Authors: Kaidi Li, Dingling Xie, Zhengyong Zhang, Chunyu Fu, Chunyang Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-06-01
Series:Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1546977/full
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author Kaidi Li
Kaidi Li
Dingling Xie
Zhengyong Zhang
Chunyu Fu
Chunyu Fu
Chunyang Li
author_facet Kaidi Li
Kaidi Li
Dingling Xie
Zhengyong Zhang
Chunyu Fu
Chunyu Fu
Chunyang Li
author_sort Kaidi Li
collection DOAJ
description AimThis study aimed to investigate alterations in whole-brain cortical thickness (CT) and cortical and subcortical gray matter volume (GMV) in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) compared with healthy controls (HC) using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and surface-based morphometry (SBM). Furthermore, we sought to develop a combined predictive model based on these neuroimaging markers and assess their potential clinical utility for the early detection and diagnosis of AD.MethodsA total of 42 patients diagnosed with mild-to-moderate AD and 49 demographically matched HC were recruited for this study. VBM and SBM analyses were performed on three-dimensional T1-weighted magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo (3D T1-MPRAGE) imaging sequences to identify brain regions that exhibited statistically significant differences between the AD and HC groups. Brain regions showing significant group differences were selected as the regions of interest (ROIs). Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between extracted neuroimaging metrics (CT, cortical GMV, and subcortical GMV) and cognitive performance. Predictive models were constructed using CT (from SBM), cortical GMV, and subcortical GMV (from VBM) metrics derived from ROIs, both individually and in combination. Model performance in discriminating between patients with AD and HCs was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.ResultsCompared to HCs, patients with AD exhibited significant CT reductions primarily in the transverse temporal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, insula, temporal pole, entorhinal cortex, and fusiform gyrus. Significant GMV reductions in patients with AD were observed predominantly in the hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, posterior temporal lobe, inferior temporal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, limbic lobe structures, fusiform gyrus, amygdala, and thalamus, as detected by VBM analysis. Extracted CT, cortical GMV, and subcortical GMV measurements from the ROIs demonstrated significant positive correlations with both MMSE and MoCA scores.ConclusionIn patients with AD, VBM and SBM showed overlapping cortical GMV and CT reductions. Volume/thickness reduction was correlated with lower MMSE/MoCA scores, confirming functional relevance. ROC analysis revealed that combining CT and GMV improved cognitive impairment prediction compared to single measures. This integrated approach may enhance clinical diagnosis and early risk identification of AD.
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spelling doaj-art-c075e676dee0480aa2fef86f065d2f0b2025-08-20T03:23:56ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience1663-43652025-06-011710.3389/fnagi.2025.15469771546977Voxel- and surface-based morphometry in the cortical thickness and cortical and subcortical gray matter volume in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s diseaseKaidi Li0Kaidi Li1Dingling Xie2Zhengyong Zhang3Chunyu Fu4Chunyu Fu5Chunyang Li6Department of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, ChinaInner Mongolia Regional Center for Neurological Disorders, Hohhot, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, Xianning Central Hospital (The First Affiliated Hospital of Hubei University of Science and Technology), Xianning, ChinaSchool of Public Health, Xinxiang Medical College, Xinxiang, ChinaInner Mongolia Regional Center for Neurological Disorders, Hohhot, ChinaDepartment of Neurosurgery, Affiliated Hospital of Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, ChinaDepartment of Neurology, Inner Mongolia Brain Hospital (Third Hospital), Hohhot, ChinaAimThis study aimed to investigate alterations in whole-brain cortical thickness (CT) and cortical and subcortical gray matter volume (GMV) in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) compared with healthy controls (HC) using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and surface-based morphometry (SBM). Furthermore, we sought to develop a combined predictive model based on these neuroimaging markers and assess their potential clinical utility for the early detection and diagnosis of AD.MethodsA total of 42 patients diagnosed with mild-to-moderate AD and 49 demographically matched HC were recruited for this study. VBM and SBM analyses were performed on three-dimensional T1-weighted magnetization-prepared rapid gradient echo (3D T1-MPRAGE) imaging sequences to identify brain regions that exhibited statistically significant differences between the AD and HC groups. Brain regions showing significant group differences were selected as the regions of interest (ROIs). Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to assess the relationship between extracted neuroimaging metrics (CT, cortical GMV, and subcortical GMV) and cognitive performance. Predictive models were constructed using CT (from SBM), cortical GMV, and subcortical GMV (from VBM) metrics derived from ROIs, both individually and in combination. Model performance in discriminating between patients with AD and HCs was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.ResultsCompared to HCs, patients with AD exhibited significant CT reductions primarily in the transverse temporal gyrus, superior temporal gyrus, supramarginal gyrus, insula, temporal pole, entorhinal cortex, and fusiform gyrus. Significant GMV reductions in patients with AD were observed predominantly in the hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, posterior temporal lobe, inferior temporal gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, limbic lobe structures, fusiform gyrus, amygdala, and thalamus, as detected by VBM analysis. Extracted CT, cortical GMV, and subcortical GMV measurements from the ROIs demonstrated significant positive correlations with both MMSE and MoCA scores.ConclusionIn patients with AD, VBM and SBM showed overlapping cortical GMV and CT reductions. Volume/thickness reduction was correlated with lower MMSE/MoCA scores, confirming functional relevance. ROC analysis revealed that combining CT and GMV improved cognitive impairment prediction compared to single measures. This integrated approach may enhance clinical diagnosis and early risk identification of AD.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1546977/fullSBMVBMgrey matter volume (gmv)cortical thickness (CT)Alzheimer’s disease
spellingShingle Kaidi Li
Kaidi Li
Dingling Xie
Zhengyong Zhang
Chunyu Fu
Chunyu Fu
Chunyang Li
Voxel- and surface-based morphometry in the cortical thickness and cortical and subcortical gray matter volume in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience
SBM
VBM
grey matter volume (gmv)
cortical thickness (CT)
Alzheimer’s disease
title Voxel- and surface-based morphometry in the cortical thickness and cortical and subcortical gray matter volume in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease
title_full Voxel- and surface-based morphometry in the cortical thickness and cortical and subcortical gray matter volume in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease
title_fullStr Voxel- and surface-based morphometry in the cortical thickness and cortical and subcortical gray matter volume in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease
title_full_unstemmed Voxel- and surface-based morphometry in the cortical thickness and cortical and subcortical gray matter volume in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease
title_short Voxel- and surface-based morphometry in the cortical thickness and cortical and subcortical gray matter volume in patients with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease
title_sort voxel and surface based morphometry in the cortical thickness and cortical and subcortical gray matter volume in patients with mild to moderate alzheimer s disease
topic SBM
VBM
grey matter volume (gmv)
cortical thickness (CT)
Alzheimer’s disease
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnagi.2025.1546977/full
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