The degeneration of locus coeruleus occurring during Alzheimer's disease clinical progression: a neuroimaging follow-up investigation.
Brain Struct Funct
; 229(5): 1317-1325, 2024 Jun.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38625557
ABSTRACT
The noradrenergic nucleus Locus Coeruleus (LC) is precociously involved in Alzheimer's Disease (AD) pathology, and its degeneration progresses during the course of the disease. Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), researchers showed also in vivo in patients the disruption of LC, which can be observed both in Mild Cognitively Impaired individuals and AD demented patients. In this study, we report the results of a follow-up neuroradiological assessment, in which we evaluated the LC degeneration overtime in a group of cognitively impaired patients, submitted to MRI both at baseline and at the end of a 2.5-year follow-up. We found that a progressive LC disruption can be observed also in vivo, involving the entire nucleus and associated with clinical diagnosis. Our findings parallel neuropathological ones, which showed a continuous increase of neuronal death and volumetric atrophy within the LC with the progression of Braak's stages for neurofibrillary pathology. This supports the reliability of MRI as a tool for exploring the integrity of the central noradrenergic system in neurodegenerative disorders.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Locus Cerúleo
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Imageamento por Ressonância Magnética
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Progressão da Doença
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Doença de Alzheimer
Limite:
Aged
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Aged80
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Female
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Humans
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Male
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Middle aged
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Brain Struct Funct
Assunto da revista:
CEREBRO
Ano de publicação:
2024
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Itália