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Hippocampal Volume (hippocampal + volume)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	65%
Life Sciences	34%

Selected Abstracts

Greater hippocampal neuronal recruitment in food-storing than in non-food-storing birds

DEVELOPMENTAL NEUROBIOLOGY, Issue 4 2007
Jennifer S. Hoshooley
Abstract Previous research has shown heightened recruitment of new neurons to the chickadee hippocampus in the fall. The present study was conducted to determine whether heightened fall recruitment is associated with the seasonal onset of food-storing by comparing neurogenesis in chickadees and a non-food-storing species, the house sparrow. Chickadees and house sparrows were captured in the wild in fall and spring and received multiple injections of the cell birth marker bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). Birds were held in captivity and the level of hippocampal neuron recruitment was assessed after 6 weeks. Chickadees showed significantly more hippocampal neuronal recruitment than house sparrows. We found no seasonal differences in hippocampal neuronal recruitment in either species. In chickadees and in house sparrows, one-third of new cells labeled for BrdU also expressed the mature neuronal protein, NeuN. In a region adjacent to the hippocampus, the hyperpallium apicale, we observed no significant differences in neuronal recruitment between species or between seasons. Hippocampal volume and total neuron number both were greater in spring than in fall in chickadees, but no seasonal differences were observed in house sparrows. Enhanced neuronal recruitment in the hippocampus of food-storing chickadees suggests a degree of neurogenic specialization that may be associated with the spatial memory requirements of food-storing behavior. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2007. [source]

Hippocampal volume and asymmetry in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: Meta-analyses of MRI studies

HIPPOCAMPUS, Issue 11 2009
Feng Shi
Abstract Numerous studies have reported a smaller hippocampal volume in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients than in aging controls. However, in mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the results are inconsistent. Moreover, the left-right asymmetry of the hippocampus receives less research attention. In this article, meta-analyses are designed to determine the extent of hippocampal atrophy in MCI and AD, and to evaluate the asymmetry pattern of the hippocampal volume in control, MCI, and AD groups. From 14 studies including 365 MCI patients and 382 controls, significant atrophy is found in both the left [Effect size (ES), 0.92; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.72,1.11] and right (ES, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.57,0.98) hippocampus, which is lower than that in AD (ES, 1.60, 95% CI, 1.37,1.84, in left; ES, 1.52, 95% CI, 1.31,1.72, in right). Comparing with aging controls, the average volume reduction weighted by sample size is 12.9% and 11.1% in left and right hippocampus in MCI, and 24.2% and 23.1% in left and right hippocampus in AD, respectively. The findings show a bilateral hippocampal volume loss in MCI and the extent of atrophy is less than that in AD. By comparing the left and right hippocampal volume, a consistent left-less-than-right asymmetry pattern is found, but with different extents in control (ES, 0.39), MCI (ES, 0.56), and AD (ES, 0.30) group. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Hippocampal volume and antidepressant response in geriatric depression

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 6 2002
Ming-Hong Hsieh
Abstract Background Biological markers of treatment response may include structural brain changes seen on neuroimaging. While most imaging studies have focused on cerebrovascular disease, evidence is growing that the hippocampus may play a role in depression, particularly geriatric depression. Method We studied 60 depressed elderly patients enrolled in a longitudinal study who were treated with antidepressant medications using a treatment guideline-based approach. Baseline and 12-week Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) scores were obtained via interview with a geriatric psychiatrist. All subjects had a baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) brain scan. MRI scans were processed using standard protocols to determine total cerebral volume and right and left hippocampal volumes. Hippocampal volumes were standardized for total cerebral volume. MADRS scores less than 10 were used to define remission. Results When the group with the lowest quartile of standardized hippocampal volumes was compared to those above the first quartile, those with small right and total hippocampal volumes were less likely to achieve remission. In a subsequent logistic regression model controlling for age small standardized right hippocampal volumes remained significantly associated with remission. Conclusion Further studies with larger sample are needed to determine if left-right hippocampal volume differences do exist in depression, and basic neuroscience studies will need to elucidate the role of the hippocampus in geriatric depression. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

No structural cerebral differences between children with a history of bacterial meningitis and healthy siblings

ACTA PAEDIATRICA, Issue 10 2008
Rogier CJ De Jonge
Abstract Aim: After bacterial meningitis, about one-third of children develops academic and/or behavioural limitations. The aim of our study was to search for structural differences in the brain, with a special focus on the hippocampus, between childhood survivors of bacterial meningitis with and without academic and/or behavioural limitations and healthy siblings. Patients and methods: A selection of a cohort, compiled in an earlier performed retrospective study, was used in this case-control study. Magnetic Resonance Imaging scans of the brain were performed in 43 post-meningitis children, of whom 18 had learning and/or behavioural limitations and 25 had no problems, and 18 controls. Voxel-based morphometry investigated the brain for structural changes. Hippocampal volume and lateral ventricle width were measured. Results: No structural differences between the groups, in any area of the brain, were found. There were no significant differences in hippocampal volume or lateral ventricle width. The group with limitations had three children with a right hippocampal volume smaller than two standard deviations below the mean of the control group. Conclusion: Despite hippocampus lesions found in experimental studies, we found no anatomical differences of the brain or hippocampus related to bacterial meningitis in children, nor to the academic and/or behavioural limitations seen after bacterial meningitis. [source]

Hippocampal volume assessment in temporal lobe epilepsy: How good is automated segmentation?

EPILEPSIA, Issue 12 2009
Heath R. Pardoe
Summary Purpose:, Quantitative measurement of hippocampal volume using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a valuable tool for detection and lateralization of mesial temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis (mTLE). We compare two automated hippocampal volume methodologies and manual hippocampal volumetry to determine which technique is most sensitive for the detection of hippocampal atrophy in mTLE. Methods:, We acquired a three-dimensional (3D) volumetric sequence in 10 patients with left-lateralized mTLE and 10 age-matched controls. Hippocampal volumes were measured manually, and using the software packages Freesurfer and FSL-FIRST. The sensitivities of the techniques were compared by determining the effect size for average volume reduction in patients with mTLE compared to controls. The volumes and spatial overlap of the automated and manual segmentations were also compared. Results:, Significant volume reduction in affected hippocampi in mTLE compared to controls was detected by manual hippocampal volume measurement (p < 0.01, effect size 33.2%), Freesurfer (p < 0.01, effect size 20.8%), and FSL-FIRST (p < 0.01, effect size 13.6%) after correction for brain volume. Freesurfer correlated reasonably (r = 0.74, p << 0.01) with this manual segmentation and FSL-FIRST relatively poorly (r = 0.47, p << 0.01). The spatial overlap between manual and automated segmentation was reduced in affected hippocampi, suggesting the accuracy of automated segmentation is reduced in pathologic brains. Discussion:, Expert manual hippocampal volumetry is more sensitive than both automated methods for the detection of hippocampal atrophy associated with mTLE. In our study Freesurfer was the most sensitive to hippocampal atrophy in mTLE and could be used if expert manual segmentation is not available. [source]

Hippocampal volume and antidepressant response in geriatric depression

Quantitative and Qualitative Measures of Hippocampal Atrophy Are Not Correlated in Healthy Older Men

JOURNAL OF NEUROIMAGING, Issue 2 2010
Karen J. Ferguson PhD
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In neuroimaging studies of dementia and mild cognitive impairment, hippocampal atrophy (HA) is commonly assessed by qualitative ratings of hippocampal appearance, or by measuring hippocampal volumes. These estimates of HA are considered to be equivalent. However, few studies have examined their relationship, especially in healthy older individuals. We therefore examined the relationship between hippocampal qualitative atrophy scores and quantitative volumetric measurements in healthy older men. METHODS Ninety-seven healthy community-dwelling 65-70-year-old men underwent magnetic resonance imaging scanning. Hippocampal volumes were measured and adjusted for intracranial size. A validated 4-point visual rating scale was used to assess hippocampal atrophy. RESULTS There was a wide range of unadjusted hippocampal volumes among subjects (right: 2,582 to 5,196 mm3[mean 3,626 mm3; SD 465.5 mm3] and left: 2,111 to 4,580 mm3[mean 3,501 mm3; SD 439.5 mm3]), which was maintained following adjustment for intracranial size. However, only 9% of subjects were rated as having moderate or severe HA. Qualitative and quantitative measures were not significantly correlated (left hippocampus: rho = .07, P= .52; right hippocampus: rho = .10, P= .34). CONCLUSIONS This study shows that qualitative and quantitative indices of hippocampal atrophy in healthy older men are not equivalent. Small hippocampal volumes do not necessarily equate to hippocampal atrophy. [source]

Hippocampal volume assessment in temporal lobe epilepsy: How good is automated segmentation?

Subfield atrophy pattern in temporal lobe epilepsy with and without mesial sclerosis detected by high-resolution MRI at 4 Tesla: Preliminary results

EPILEPSIA, Issue 6 2009
Susanne G. Mueller
Summary Purpose:, High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 4 Tesla depicts details of the internal structure of the hippocampus not visible at 1.5 Tesla, and so allows for in vivo parcellation of different hippocampal subfields. The aim of this study was to test if distinct subfield atrophy patterns can be detected in temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) with mesial temporal sclerosis (TLE-MTS) and without (TLE-no) hippocampal sclerosis. Methods:, High-resolution T2 -weighted hippocampal images were acquired in 34 controls: 15 TLE-MTS and 18 TLE-no. Entorhinal cortex (ERC), subiculum (SUB), CA1, CA2, and CA3, and dentate (CA3&DG) volumes were determined using a manual parcellation scheme. Results:, TLE-MTS had significantly smaller ipsilateral CA1, CA2, CA3&DG, and total hippocampal volume than controls or TLE-no. Mean ipsilateral CA1 and CA3&DG z-scores were significantly lower than ipsilateral CA2, ERC, and SUB z-scores. There were no significant differences between the various subfield or hippocampal z-scores on either the ipsi- or the contralateral side in TLE-no. Using a z-score ,,2.0 to identify severe volume loss, the following atrophy patterns were found in TLE-MTS: CA1 atrophy, CA3&DG atrophy, CA1 and CA3&DG atrophy, and global hippocampal atrophy. Significant subfield atrophy was found in three TLE-no: contralateral SUB atrophy, bilateral CA3&DG atrophy, and ipsilateral ERC and SUB atrophy. Discussion:, Using a manual parcellation scheme on 4 Tesla high-resolution MRI, we found the characteristic ipsilateral CA1 and CA3&DG atrophy described in TLE-MTS. Seventeen percent of the TLE-no had subfield atrophy despite normal total hippocampal volume. These findings indicate that high-resolution MRI and subfield volumetry provide superior information compared to standard hippocampal volumetry. [source]

Decreased hippocampal volume on MRI is associated with increased extracellular glutamate in epilepsy patients

EPILEPSIA, Issue 8 2008
Idil Cavus
Summary Purpose: Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is associated with smaller hippocampal volume and with elevated extracellular (EC) glutamate levels. We investigated the relationship between the hippocampal volume and glutamate in refractory TLE patients. Methods: We used quantitative MRI volumetrics to measure the hippocampal volume and zero-flow microdialysis to measure the interictal glutamate, glutamine, and GABA levels in the epileptogenic hippocampus of 17 patients with medication-resistant epilepsy undergoing intracranial EEG evaluation. The relationships between hippocampal volume, neurochemical levels, and relevant clinical factors were examined. Results: Increased EC glutamate in the epileptogenic hippocampus was significantly related to smaller ipsilateral (R2= 0.75, p < 0.0001), but not contralateral hippocampal volume when controlled for glutamine and GABA levels, and for clinical factors known to influence hippocampal volume. Glutamate in the atrophic hippocampus was significantly higher (p = 0.008, n = 9), with the threshold for hippocampal atrophy estimated as 5 ,M. GABA and glutamine levels in the atrophic and nonatrophic hippocampus were comparable. Decreased hippocampal volume was related to higher seizure frequency (p = 0.008), but not to disease duration or febrile seizure history. None of these clinical factors were related to the neurochemical levels. Conclusions: We provide evidence for a significant association between increased EC glutamate and decreased ipsilateral epileptogenic hippocampal volume in TLE. Future work will be needed to determine whether the increase in glutamate has a causal relationship with hippocampal atrophy, or whether another, yet unknown factor results in both. This work has implications for the understanding and treatment of epilepsy as well as other neurodegenerative disorders associated with hippocampal atrophy. [source]

Effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism on hippocampal volume change in schizophrenia

HIPPOCAMPUS, Issue 9 2010
P. Cédric M.P. Koolschijn
Abstract A functional polymorphism of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene (Val66Met) has been associated with the risk for schizophrenia and volume differences in the hippocampus. However, little is known about the association between progressive brain volume change in schizophrenia and BDNF genotype. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between hippocampal volume change in patients with schizophrenia and healthy control subjects and BDNF genotype. Two structural magnetic resonance imaging brain scans were acquired of 68 patients with schizophrenia and 83 healthy subjects with an interval of approximately 5 yrs. Hippocampal volume change was measured and related to BDNF genotype in patients and healthy controls. BDNF genotype was not associated with hippocampal volume change over time in patients or healthy controls, nor could we replicate earlier findings on smaller hippocampal volume in Met-carriers. However, we did find a genotype-by-diagnosis interaction at baseline demonstrating smaller hippocampal volumes in patients homozygous for the Val-allele relative to healthy Val-homozygotes. In addition, irrespective of genotype, patients showed smaller hippocampal volumes compared with healthy controls at baseline. In summary, our results suggest that the BDNF Val66Met polymorphism is not associated with hippocampal volume change over time. Nevertheless, our findings may support the possibility that BDNF affects brain morphology differently in schizophrenia patients and healthy subjects. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Hippocampal volume and asymmetry in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: Meta-analyses of MRI studies

Memory in the aging brain: Doubly dissociating the contribution of the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex

HIPPOCAMPUS, Issue 11 2007
Andrew P. Yonelinas
Abstract Since the time of Aristotle it has been thought that memories can be divided into two basic types; conscious recollections and familiarity-based judgments. Neuropsychological studies have provided indirect support for this distinction by suggesting that different regions within the human medial temporal lobe (MTL) are involved in these two forms of memory, but none of these studies have demonstrated that these brain regions can be fully dissociated. In a group of nondemented elderly subjects, we found that performance on recall and recognition tests was predicted preferentially by hippocampal and entorhinal volumes, respectively. Structural equation modeling revealed a double dissociation, whereby age-related reductions in hippocampal volume resulted in decreases in recollection, but not familiarity, whereas entorhinal volume was preferentially related to familiarity. The results demonstrate that the forms of episodic memory supported by the human hippocampus and entorhinal cortex can be fully dissociated, and indicate that recollection and familiarity reflect neuroanatomically distinct memory processes. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Neuropsychological correlates of hippocampal and rhinal cortex volumes in patients with mesial temporal sclerosis

HIPPOCAMPUS, Issue 8 2003
Catherine E. O'Brien
Abstract Considerable progress has been made toward understanding the function of the primate rhinal cortex, comprising the entorhinal (ErC) and perirhinal (PrC) cortices. However, translating animal models to human memory has been limited by the technological problems associated with characterizing neural structures in vivo. Functional correlates of hippocampal and rhinal cortex volume changes were examined in a sample of 61 temporal lobe epilepsy patients with mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS; 33 left, 28 right). Patients were administered the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (revised or third edition), the Wechsler Memory Scale (revised or third edition), and a spatial maze task. Neuropsychological data, together with rhinal cortex and hippocampal volumes, collected in our earlier study (O'Brien CE, Bowden SC, Whelan G, Cook MJ, unpublished observations), were analyzed using multiple regression. The only significant predictor of verbal memory function was the difference score between the volume of left hippocampus and the left PrC. Spatial maze scores were predicted by the bilateral sum of ErC volume. The difference score between the left hippocampus and left PrC volumes was the most powerful predictor of verbal episodic memory. Right hippocampal volume was not a significant predictor of nonverbal episodic memory. Verbal and nonverbal semantic memory were not significantly predicted by any combination of rhinal cortex structures. This quantitative study suggests a lateralized or material-specific memory function for the left hippocampus and left PrC, in contrast to the bilateral role of the ErC. The left hippocampus and left PrC appear to act on verbal memory function through an opposing relationship. Finally, differentiation between hippocampal and subhippocampal components in terms of episodic and semantic memory, respectively, could not be supported by the current data. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

MRI and cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease,

MOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue S2 2009
Naroa Ibarretxe-Bilbao PhD
Abstract Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) may present impairment in cognitive functions even at early stages of the disease. When compared with the general population, their risk of dementia is five to six times higher. Recent investigations using structural MRI have shown that dementia in PD is related to cortical structural changes and that specific cognitive dysfunctions can be attributed to atrophy in specific structures. We review the structural MRI studies carried out in PD using either a manual region of interest (ROI) approach or voxel-based morphometry (VBM). ROI studies have shown that hippocampal volume is decreased in patients with PD with and without dementia; in addition, hippocampal atrophy correlated with deficits in verbal memory. VBM studies have demonstrated that dementia in PD involves structural changes in limbic areas and widespread cortical atrophy. Findings in nondemented patients with PD are less conclusive, possibly because cognitively heterogeneous groups of patients have been studied. Patients with PD with cognitive impairment and/or visual hallucinations present greater brain atrophy than patients without these characteristics. These findings suggest that cortical atrophy is related to cognitive dysfunction in PD and precedes the development of dementia. Structural MRI might therefore provide an early marker for dementia in PD. © 2009 Movement Disorder Society [source]

Hippocampal sclerosis is a progressive disorder: A longitudinal volumetric MRI study

ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 3 2003
Darren Fuerst PhD
Twelve patients with refractory temporal lobe epilepsy and unilateral hippocampal sclerosis had repeat volumetric magnetic resonance imaging scans after a mean of 3.4 years to determine whether progressive hippocampal volume loss occurred. Seizure-free patients showed no change in hippocampal volume. Patients with continuing seizures had a decline in ipsilateral hippocampal volume that correlated with seizure frequency. Patients with medically refractory temporal lobe epilepsy and unilateral hippocampal sclerosis have progressive hippocampal atrophy. Ann Neurol 2003;53:413,416 [source]

BDNF variant linked to anxiety-related behaviors

BIOESSAYS, Issue 2 2007
Kenji Hashimoto
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is the most-abundant neurotrophin in the brain. In mammals, it is synthesized as a precursor called proBDNF, which is proteolytically cleaved to generate mature BDNF. The BDNF gene is located on chromosome 11p13, and a functional single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of this gene has been shown to produce a valine (Val)-to-methionine (Met) substitution in the proBDNF protein at codon 66 (Val66Met). Several papers suggest that this SNP is related to decreased hippocampal volume and hippocampus-mediated memory performance in humans. Recently, Chen et al.1 generated a variant BDNF mouse (BDNFMet/Met) that reproduces the phenotypic hallmarks in humans with a variant Met allele. In the behavioral analysis, BDNFMet/Met mice show increased anxiety-related behaviors. This mini-review examines the impact of Met substitution of proBDNF on anxiety-related behaviors. BioEssays 29: 116,119, 2007. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

No structural cerebral differences between children with a history of bacterial meningitis and healthy siblings

Cerebral Damage in Epilepsy: A Population-based Longitudinal Quantitative MRI Study

EPILEPSIA, Issue 9 2005
Rebecca S. N. Liu
Summary:,Purpose: Whether cerebral damage results from epileptic seizures remains a contentious issue. We report on the first longitudinal community-based quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study to investigate the effect of seizures on the hippocampus, cerebellum, and neocortex. Methods: One hundred seventy-nine patients with epilepsy (66 temporal lobe epilepsy, 51 extratemporal partial epilepsy, and 62 generalized epilepsy) and 90 control subjects underwent two MRI brain scans 3.5 years apart. Automated and manual measurement techniques identified changes in global and regional brain volumes and hippocampal T2 relaxation times. Results: Baseline hippocampal volumes were significantly reduced in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy and could be attributed to an antecedent neurologic insult. Rates of hippocampal, cerebral, and cerebellar atrophy were not syndrome specific and were similar in control and patient groups. Global and regional brain atrophy was determined primarily by age. A prior neurologic insult was associated with reduced hippocampal and cerebellar volumes and an increased rate of cerebellar atrophy. Significant atrophy of the hippocampus, neocortex, or cerebellum occurred in 17% of patients compared with 6.7% of control subjects. Patients with and without significant volume reduction were comparable in terms of seizure frequency, antiepileptic drug (AED) use, and epilepsy duration, with no identifiable risk factors for the development of atrophy. Conclusions: Overt structural cerebral damage is not an inevitable consequence of epileptic seizures. In general, brain volume reduction in epilepsy is the cumulative effect of an initial precipitating injury and age-related cerebral atrophy. Significant atrophy developed in individual patients, particularly those with temporal lobe and generalized epilepsy. Longer periods of observation may detect more subtle effects of seizures. [source]

Neocortical Temporal FDG-PET Hypometabolism Correlates with Temporal Lobe Atrophy in Hippocampal Sclerosis Associated with Microscopic Cortical Dysplasia

EPILEPSIA, Issue 4 2003
Beate Diehl
Summary: ,Purpose: Medically intractable temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) due to hippocampal sclerosis (HS), with or without cortical dysplasia (CD), is associated with atrophy of the hippocampal formation and regional fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography (FDG-PET) hypometabolism. The relation between areas of functional and structural abnormalities is not well understood. We investigate the relation between FDG-PET metabolism and temporal lobe (TL) and hippocampal atrophy in patients with histologically proven isolated HS and HS associated with CD. Methods: Twenty-three patients underwent en bloc resection of the mesial and anterolateral neocortical structures. Ten patients were diagnosed with isolated HS; 13 patients had associated microscopic CD. Temporal lobe volumes (TLVs) and hippocampal volumes were measured. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and PET were co-registered, and regions of interest (ROIs) determined as gray matter of the mesial, lateral, and anterior temporal lobe. Results: All patients (HS with or without CD) had significant ipsilateral PET hypometabolism in all three regions studied (p < 0.0001). In patients with isolated HS, the most prominent hypometabolism was in the anterior and mesial temporal lobe, whereas in dual pathology, it was in the lateral temporal lobe. TLVs and hippocampal volumes were significantly smaller on the epileptogenic side (p < 0.05). The PET asymmetries ipsilateral/contralateral to the epileptogenic zone and TLV asymmetries correlated significantly for the anterior and lateral temporal lobes (p < 0.05) in the HS+CD group, but not in the isolated HS group. Mesial temporal hypometabolism was not significantly different between the two groups. Conclusions: Temporal neocortical microscopic CD with concurrent HS is associated with more prominent lateral temporal metabolic dysfunction compared with isolated HS in TL atrophy. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and correlate the PET hypometabolic patterns with outcome data in patients operated on for HS with or without CD. [source]

Effects of brain-derived neurotrophic factor Val66Met polymorphism on hippocampal volume change in schizophrenia

MR-determined hippocampal asymmetry in full-term and preterm neonates

HIPPOCAMPUS, Issue 2 2009
Deanne K. Thompson
Abstract Hippocampi are asymmetrical in children and adults, where the right hippocampus is larger. To date, no literature has confirmed that hippocampal asymmetry is evident at birth. Furthermore, gender differences have been observed in normal hippocampal asymmetry, but this has not been examined in neonates. Stress, injury, and lower IQ have been associated with alterations to hippocampal asymmetry. These same factors often accompany preterm birth. Therefore, prematurity is possibly associated with altered hippocampal asymmetry. There were three aims of this study: First, we assessed whether hippocampi were asymmetrical at birth, second whether there was a gender effect on hippocampal asymmetry, and third whether the stress of preterm birth altered hippocampal asymmetry. This study utilized volumetric magnetic resonance imaging to compare left and right hippocampal volumes in 32 full-term and 184 preterm infants at term. Full-term infants demonstrated rightward hippocampal asymmetry, as did preterm infants. In the case of preterm infants, hippocampal asymmetry was proportional to total hemispheric asymmetry. This study is the first to demonstrate that the normal pattern of hippocampal asymmetry is present this early in development. We did not find gender differences in hippocampal asymmetry at term. Preterm infants tended to have less asymmetrical hippocampi than full-term infants, a difference which became significant after correcting for hemispheric brain tissue volumes. This study may suggest that hippocampal asymmetry develops in utero and is maintained into adulthood in infants with a normal neurological course. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Neuropsychological correlates of hippocampal and rhinal cortex volumes in patients with mesial temporal sclerosis

Hippocampal volume and antidepressant response in geriatric depression

Quantitative and Qualitative Measures of Hippocampal Atrophy Are Not Correlated in Healthy Older Men

Effects of music and art education in early life and oral functions on the QOL of the Takarazuka Revue Company OG compared with general elderly females

PSYCHOGERIATRICS, Issue 1 2010
Takiko MASUTANI
Abstract Background:, Today, Japan is becoming a super-aged society, with senior citizens already constituting over 21% of the population. In this situation, the question of how elderly people can extend their lives and enjoy independent lifestyles is becoming more important. The present study aims to clarify the relationship between the Quality of Life (QOL) of elderly females and their current oral functions and experiences of music and art education in early life. Methods:, We carried out a survey study focusing on elderly females (Takarazuka Revue Company OG group and general female group) by carrying out a questionnaire survey and comparing cognitive function, oral examinations, cerebral atrophy in magnetic resonance imaging, and other characteristics. Results:, It was shown that the Takarazuka Revue Company OG group had greater hippocampal volumes and significantly higher cognitive functions than the general female group. In addition, in the general female group, there was a significant correlation between a decrease in the number of remaining teeth and a decrease in activities in daily living, but in the Takarazuka Revue Company OG group, no such correlation was observed. Conclusions:, The results showed that those who have received art education as part of their careers over an extensive period since early life have higher levels of cognitive function, QOL, physical activity, social activity and life satisfaction compared with the general female group; showing that they sense a purpose in life and live with a positive attitude. In contrast, in the general female group, those who have continued to enjoy hobbies have higher levels of cognitive function, QOL, physical activity, social activity and life satisfaction than those who have not, thus showing that they live with a positive attitude. [source]