Head circumference, atrophy, and cognition: implications for brain reserve in Alzheimer disease.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Clinical and epidemiologic studies suggest that patients with Alzheimer disease (AD) with larger head circumference have better cognitive performance at the same level of brain pathology than subjects with smaller head circumference.

Methods

A total of 270 patients with AD participating in the Multi-Institutional Research in Alzheimer's Genetic Epidemiology (MIRAGE) study underwent cognitive testing, APOE genotyping, and MRI of the brain in a cross-sectional study. Linear regression analysis was used to examine the association between cerebral atrophy, as a proxy for AD pathology, and level of cognitive function, adjusting for age, duration of AD symptoms, gender, head circumference, APOE genotype, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, major depression, and ethnicity.

SUBMITTER: Perneczky R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2905931 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature