MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING CORRELATES OF MEMORY IMPAIRMENT IN THE HEALTHY ELDERLY - ASSOCIATION WITH MEDIAL TEMPORAL-LOBE ATROPHY BUT NOT WHITE-MATTER LESIONS

Objective. To investigate the neuroradiological correlates of age-rela ted cognitive decline in the elderly. Design. A sample of healthy cont rol subjects underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning and c ognitive testing. Setting. Melbourne, Australia. Participants. 40 volu nteers over the age of 55 who were spouses of subjects seen in a hospi tal memory clinic, subjects from a register of normal volunteer subjec ts (not staff) kept for research purposes or residents of a retirement hostel. Measures. Hippocampal and amygdala (HA) atrophy, periventricu lar lesions (PVL) and deep white matter lesions (DWML) were rated by t wo radiologists blind to cognitive test score results. Cognitive asses sment was by the Cambridge Cognitive Examination (CAMCOG). Results. Af ter controlling for age and education, lower scores on the memory subs cale of the CAMCOG were associated with the presence of HA atrophy, bu t not with DWML or PVL. Conclusions. HA atrophy on MRI is associated w ith impaired memory performance in the healthy elderly, while PVL and DWML are not. Further study should determine whether HA atrophy is a r isk factor for developing dementia. ((C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Lt d.)