J Korean Geriatr Psychiatry.  2017 Oct;21(2):67-74. 10.0000/jkgp.2017.21.2.67.

Altered Cortical Thicknesses of Left Pars Opercularis and Left Lateral Occipital Gyrus Can Be Associated with Psychotic Symptoms in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease

• Lee DH
• Kim GM
• Park SC
• Kim TH
• Choi SE
• Jeong TY
• Lee BJ
• Mun CW
• Lee JG
• Kim YH

• KMID: 2395658
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.0000/jkgp.2017.21.2.67

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study was to present an association between the presence of psychotic symptoms and cortical thicknesses/subcortical volumes in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD).
METHODS
Fourteen AD patients with psychotic symptoms and 41 without psychotic symptoms underwent 3T MRI scanning. After adjusting the effects of confounding variables, the cortical thicknesses were compared between the AD patients with and without psychotic symptoms in multiple regions, across the continuous cortical surface. In addition, the subcortical volumes were compared with a structure-by-structure manner.
RESULTS
AD patients with psychotic symptoms were characterized by significant smaller cortical thickness of left pars opercularis (F=4.67, p=0.02) and left lateral occipital gyrus (F=6.05, p=0.04) rather than those without psychotic symptoms, after adjusting the effects of age and scores on the Stroop test, non-psychotic items of Neuropsychiatry Inventory and Clinical Dementia Rating, triglyceride level and total intracranial volume. However, there were no significant differences in the subcortical volume between the two groups.
CONCLUSION
These results suggest that AD psychosis may reflect more severe deterioration of neuropathologic change in specific brain region.

Keyword

Alzheimer's disease; Left lateral occipital gyrus; Left pars opercularis; Psychotic symptoms

MeSH Terms

Alzheimer Disease*
Brain
Broca Area*
Confounding Factors (Epidemiology)
Dementia
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Neuropsychiatry
Occipital Lobe*
Psychotic Disorders
Stroop Test
Triglycerides