高海拔地区轻度认知障碍患者脑结构改变的分析

Structural analysis of brain volume in patients with mild cognitive impairment at high altitude

目的采用结构磁共振成像(structural magnetic resonance imaging,sMRI)分析世居高海拔地区轻度认知障碍(mild cognitive impairment,MCI)患者的脑灰质密度改变。材料与方法纳入91例世居高海拔地区MCI患者(MCI组)及与之年龄、性别、受教育程度相匹配的95例世居高海拔地区的健康对照(healthy controls,HC)者(HC组)进行神经心理学测试及磁共振3D T1加权三维磁化强度预备梯度回波(three-dimensional T1WI magnetization prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo sequence,3D-T1WI-MPRAGE)成像,利用基于体素的形态学测量(voxel-based morphometry,VBM)方法对全脑不同分区测量灰质密度,比较灰质密度差异显著的脑区。结果MCI组在左侧海马、左侧海马旁回、左侧梭状回及双侧的小脑组织的灰质密度明显低于HC组(P均<0.05)。结论高海拔地区MCI患者具有脑结构上的退化特征,这可能是慢性高海拔暴露相关的认知功能变化的结构基础。

Objective:To investigate the changes of gray matter density of native patients with mild cognitive impairment(MCI)at high altitude by structural magnetic resonance imaging(sMRI).Materials and Methods:Ninety-one native MCI patients at high altitude(MCI group)and 95 native healthy controls(HC)matched for age,gender and education(HC group)were collected for neuropsychological testing and three-dimensional T1WI magnetization prepared rapid acquisition gradient echo sequence(3D-T1WI-MPRAGE)imaging.Gray matter density was measured in different whole-brain zones using voxel morphometric measurement(VBM)to compare brain regions with significant differences in gray matter density.Results:MCI group had significantly lower gray matter density in the left hippocampus,left parahippocampal gyrus,left fusiform gyrus,and bilateral cerebellar than HC group(all P<0.05).Conclusions:There are sMRI changes of brain in MCI patients at high altitude,this may be the structural basis for the changes in cognitive functions associated with chronic high-altitude exposure.