Multimodal MRI Neuroimaging Biomarkers for Cognitive Normal Adults, Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Alzheimer's Disease

Figure 5

Statistical parametric maps of the brain used to assess subjects’ performance on memory-activation tests in carriers of the APOE ε4 allele and carriers of the APOE ε3 allele. The signal intensity increased significantly in the left inferior frontal region, the right prefrontal cortex, the transverse temporal gyri bilaterally, and the left posterior temporal and inferior parietal regions in both groups. However, both the extent and the intensity of activation were greater among the carriers of the APOE ε4 allele. The carriers of the APOE ε4 allele also had significant increases in the left parahippocampal, the left dorsal prefrontal cortex, and in the inferior and superior parietal lobes and the anterior cingulate gyrus. Direct comparisons of the carriers of the APOE ε4 allele and the carriers of the APOE ε3 allele (bottom panel, which shows the difference between the carriers) further demonstrated the greater extent and magnitude of activity in the left prefrontal region and bilateral orbitofrontal, superior temporal, and inferior and superior parietal regions in the carriers of the APOE ε4 allele (adapted with permission from [32]).