The Associations Between Intracranial Stenosis, Brain Amyloid-beta, and Cognition in a Memory Clinic Sample.

Background: Intracranial stenosis (ICS) and brain amyloid-beta (Aβ) have been associated with cognition and dementia. We aimed to investigate the association between ICS and brain Aβ and their independent and joint associations with cognition.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 185 patients recruited from a memory clinic.

Diabetes and hypertension are related to amyloid-beta burden in the population-based Rotterdam Study.

Higher vascular disease burden increases the likelihood of developing dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. Better understanding the association between vascular risk factors and Alzheimer's disease pathology at the predementia stage is critical for developing effective strategies to delay cognitive decline. In this work, we estimated the impact of six vascular risk factors on the presence and severity of in vivo measured brain amyloid-beta (Aβ) plaques in participants from the population-based Rotterdam Study.

Classification of Skull Shape Deformities Related to Craniosynostosis on 3D Photogrammetry.

Implementation of the Utrecht Cranial Shape Quantificator (UCSQ) classification method on 3D photogrammetry in patients with different types of craniosynostosis is the aim of the present study. Five children (age <1 year) of every group of the common craniosynostoses (scaphocephaly, brachycephaly, trigonocephaly, right-sided and left-sided anterior plagiocephaly) were randomly included. The program 3-Matic (v13.

UCSQ Method Applied on 3D Photogrammetry: Non-Invasive Objective Differentiation Between Synostotic and Positional Plagiocephaly.

Objective: Objective differentiation between unilateral coronal synostosis (UCS) and positional posterior plagiocephaly (PPP) based on 3D photogrammetry according to Utrecht Cranial Shape Quantificator (UCSQ).

Design: Retrospective study.

Setting: Primary craniofacial center.

A Diffusion Tensor Imaging Analysis of Frontal Lobe White Matter Microstructure in Trigonocephaly Patients.

Background: Children with trigonocephaly are at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. The aim of this study is to investigate white matter properties of the frontal lobes in young, unoperated patients with metopic synostosis as compared to healthy controls using diffusion tension imaging (DTI).

Methods: Preoperative DTI data sets of 46 patients with trigonocephaly with a median age of 0.

Cerebral cortex maldevelopment in syndromic craniosynostosis.

Aim: To assess the relationship of surface area of the cerebral cortex to intracranial volume (ICV) in syndromic craniosynostosis.

Method: Records of 140 patients (64 males, 76 females; mean age 8y 6mo [SD 5y 6mo], range 1y 2mo-24y 2mo) with syndromic craniosynostosis were reviewed to include clinical and imaging data. Two hundred and three total magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were evaluated in this study (148 patients with fibroblast growth factor receptor [FGFR], 19 patients with TWIST1, and 36 controls).

Cortical Thickness in Crouzon-Pfeiffer Syndrome: Findings in Relation to Primary Cranial Vault Expansion.

Background: Episodes of intracranial hypertension are associated with reductions in cerebral cortical thickness (CT) in syndromic craniosynostosis. Here we focus on Crouzon-Pfeiffer syndrome patients to measure CT and evaluate associations with type of primary cranial vault expansion and synostosis pattern.

Methods: Records from 34 Crouzon-Pfeiffer patients were reviewed along with MRI data on CT and intracranial volume to examine associations.

New diagnostic approach of the different types of isolated craniosynostosis.

In this study, we diagnose skull shape deformities by analysing sinusoid curves obtained from standardized computed tomography (CT) slices of the skull for the common craniosynostoses (scaphocephaly, brachycephaly, trigonocephaly, right- and left-sided anterior plagiocephaly). Scaphocephaly has a high forehead peak and low troughs, in contrast to brachycephaly. Anterior plagiocephaly has asymmetry and shifting of the forehead peak.

Quantification of Severity of Unilateral Coronal Synostosis.

Objectives: Severity of unilateral coronal synostosis (UCS) can vary. Quantification is important for treatment, expectations of treatment and natural outcome, and education of the patient and parents.

Design: Retrospective study.

Introducing a new method for classifying skull shape abnormalities related to craniosynostosis.

We present a novel technique for classification of skull deformities due to most common craniosynostosis. We included 5 children of every group of the common craniosynostoses (scaphocephaly, brachycephaly, trigonocephaly, and right- and left-sided anterior plagiocephaly) and additionally 5 controls. Our outline-based classification method is described, using the software programs OsiriX, MeVisLab, and Matlab.

Intracranial hypertension and cortical thickness in syndromic craniosynostosis.

Aim: To evaluate the impact of risk factors for intracranial hypertension (ICH) on cerebral cortex thickness in syndromic craniosynostosis.

Method: ICH risk factors including papilloedema, hydrocephalus, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), cerebellar tonsillar position, occipitofrontal circumference (OFC) curve deflection, age, and sex were collected from the records of patients with syndromic craniosynostosis (Apert, Crouzon, Pfeiffer, Muenke, Saethre-Chotzen syndromes) and imaging. Magnetic resonance images were analysed and exported for statistical analysis.

Patterns of functional connectivity in an aging population: The Rotterdam Study.

Structural brain markers are studied extensively in the field of neurodegeneration, but are thought to occur rather late in the process. Functional measures such as functional connectivity are gaining interest as potentially more subtle markers of neurodegeneration. However, brain structure and function are also affected by 'normal' brain ageing.

The effect of hippocampal function, volume and connectivity on posterior cingulate cortex functioning during episodic memory fMRI in mild cognitive impairment.

Objectives: Diminished function of the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) is a typical finding in early Alzheimer's disease (AD). It is hypothesized that in early stage AD, PCC functioning relates to or reflects hippocampal dysfunction or atrophy. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between hippocampus function, volume and structural connectivity, and PCC activation during an episodic memory task-related fMRI study in mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

MRBrainS Challenge: Online Evaluation Framework for Brain Image Segmentation in 3T MRI Scans.

Many methods have been proposed for tissue segmentation in brain MRI scans. The multitude of methods proposed complicates the choice of one method above others. We have therefore established the MRBrainS online evaluation framework for evaluating (semi)automatic algorithms that segment gray matter (GM), white matter (WM), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) on 3T brain MRI scans of elderly subjects (65-80 y).

Small cortical infarcts: prevalence, determinants, and cognitive correlates in the general population.

Background: Cortical brain infarcts are defined as infarcts involving cortical gray matter, but may differ considerably in size. It is unknown whether small cortical infarcts have a similar clinical phenotype as larger counterparts. We investigated prevalence, determinants, and cognitive correlates of small cortical infarcts in the general population and compared these with large cortical infarcts and lacunar infarcts.

IT Infrastructure to support the secondary use of routinely acquired clinical imaging data for research.

We propose an infrastructure for the automated anonymization, extraction and processing of image data stored in clinical data repositories to make routinely acquired imaging data available for research purposes. The automated system, which was tested in the context of analyzing routinely acquired MR brain imaging data, consists of four modules: subject selection using PACS query, anonymization of privacy sensitive information and removal of facial features, quality assurance on DICOM header and image information, and quantitative imaging biomarker extraction. In total, 1,616 examinations were selected based on the following MRI scanning protocols: dementia protocol (246), multiple sclerosis protocol (446) and open question protocol (924).

Intracranial stenosis, cerebrovascular diseases, and cognitive impairment in chinese.

Extracranial carotid artery disease has been shown to be related to cognitive deficits. However, limited data are available on intracranial stenosis (ICS) and cognitive impairment. We investigate the association between ICS and cognitive impairment in Chinese.

TMEM106B influences volume of left-sided temporal lobe and interhemispheric structures in the general population.

Background: Frontotemporal lobar degeneration is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by brain atrophy of the frontal and anterior temporal lobes. The associated frontotemporal dementia syndromes are clinically heterogeneous, and the pattern of affected cortical regions varies among subtypes. The TMEM106B rs1990622 polymorphism is associated with frontotemporal lobar degeneration, but little is known about how it affects the brain.

Cerebral microbleeds and cognition: the epidemiology of dementia in Singapore study.

Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are considered to be a novel marker of cerebral small vessel disease. However, the link with cognitive impairment remains unclear. We investigated whether CMBs-independent of other traditional markers of cerebral small vessel disease-are related to cognition.

Apolipoprotein E genotype influences spatial distribution of cerebral microbleeds.

In cerebral amyloid angiopathy patients, microbleeds often cluster, mostly occipital, and are associated with apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype. Microbleeds also frequently occur in the asymptomatic, general population. In this population, we investigated spatial distribution of microbleeds and whether this is influenced by APOE genotype.

Brain cortical thickness in the general elderly population: the Rotterdam Scan Study.

Cortical thickness is considered a potentially relevant marker for neurodegenerative diseases. However, the relationship of demographic and vascular risk factors with cortical thickness remains unclear. In a population-based sample of 1022 non-demented elderly persons (mean age 68.

The relation of uric acid to brain atrophy and cognition: the Rotterdam Scan Study.

Background: Uric acid has been associated with focal vascular brain disease. However, it is unknown whether uric acid also relates to global brain changes such as brain atrophy. We therefore studied the relation of uric acid to brain atrophy and whether this is accompanied by worse cognitive function.

Atherosclerotic calcification relates to cognitive function and to brain changes on magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Increasing evidence suggests a role of atherosclerosis in the pathogenesis of cognitive impairment and dementia. Calcification volume measured with computed tomography (CT) is a valid marker of atherosclerosis. This study investigates associations of atherosclerosis (measured using CT) at four locations with cognition and brain changes on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Common variants at 6q22 and 17q21 are associated with intracranial volume.

During aging, intracranial volume remains unchanged and represents maximally attained brain size, while various interacting biological phenomena lead to brain volume loss. Consequently, intracranial volume and brain volume in late life reflect different genetic influences. Our genome-wide association study (GWAS) in 8,175 community-dwelling elderly persons did not reveal any associations at genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10(-8)) for brain volume.

Vascular risk factors, apolipoprotein E, and hippocampal decline on magnetic resonance imaging over a 10-year follow-up.

Background: Decline of hippocampal volume on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be considered as a surrogate biomarker of accumulating Alzheimer disease (AD) pathology. Previously, we showed in the prospective population-based Rotterdam Scan Study that a higher rate of decline of hippocampal volume on MRI precedes clinical AD or memory decline. We studied potential risk factors for decline of hippocampal volume.