Hippocampal volumes in patients exposed to low-dose radiation to the basal brain. A case-control study in long-term survivors from cancer in the head and neck region.

Background: An earlier study from our group of long time survivors of head and neck cancer who had received a low radiation dose to the hypothalamic-pituitary region, with no signs of recurrence or pituitary dysfunction, had their quality of life (QoL) compromised as compared with matched healthy controls. Hippocampal changes have been shown to accompany several psychiatric conditions and the aim of the present study was to test whether the patients' lowered QoL was coupled to a reduction in hippocampal volume.

Methods: Patients (11 men and 4 women, age 31-65) treated for head and neck cancer 4-10 years earlier and with no sign of recurrence or pituitary dysfunction, and 15 matched controls were included.

White matter diffusion is higher in Binswanger disease than in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.

Objectives: To explore diagnostic differences in periventricular white matter (PWM) and deep white matter (DWM) diffusion patterns in patients diagnosed with Binswanger disease (BD) and in patients diagnosed with probable idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (INPH) using diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI).

Materials And Methods: Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were calculated in the PWM and DWM in patients with INPH (n = 14) and BD (n = 9) and in controls (n = 10) using an spin echo echo planar imaging single-shot diffusion sequence and region of interest (ROI) analysis.

Results: Patients with BD had higher ADC values than patients with INPH in the PWM and DWM in the frontal and occipital regions (P < 0.

Small baseline volume of left hippocampus is associated with subsequent conversion of MCI into dementia: the Göteborg MCI study.

Background: Earlier studies have reported that hippocampal atrophy can to some extent predict which patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) will subsequently convert to dementia, and that converters have an enhanced rate of hippocampal volume loss.

Objective: To further validate the hypothesis that hippocampal atrophy predicts conversion from MCI to dementia, to relate baseline hippocampal volume to different forms of dementia, and to investigate the role of hippocampal side differences and rate of volume loss over time.

Patients: The subjects (N=68) include patients with MCI at baseline and progression to dementia at the two-year follow-up (N=21), stable MCI patients (N=21), and controls (N=26).

A 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy study in adults with obsessive compulsive disorder: relationship between metabolite concentrations and symptom severity.

1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) studies exploring brain metabolites, especially glutamine + glutamate (Glx), in obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) are of vital interest for trying to understand more about the pathophysiology of OCD. Therefore, we conducted the present 1H MRS study with the aims of (1) comparing MRS metabolites in a group of adult patients with OCD and a group of healthy controls, and (2) examining the relationship between MRS metabolite concentrations and symptom severity in the patient group. Three brain regions were studied, the right caudate nucleus, the anterior gyrus cinguli and the occipital cortex bilaterally.

Intersubject variability in the anterior extent of the optic radiation assessed by tractography.

Introduction: Temporal lobe resection for epilepsy involves a risk of damaging the anterior part of the optic radiation, Meyer's loop, causing a contralateral upper quadrant visual field defect. This study aims to assess the intersubject variability in the course of Meyer's loop in vivo by diffusion tensor imaging and tractography.

Methods: Seven healthy volunteers and two patients with previous temporal lobe resection were recruited.