Development of a protocol to assess within-subject, regional white matter hyperintensity changes in aging and dementia

Ahmed A. Bahrani; Charles D. Smith; Justin M. Barber; Omar M. Al-Janabi; David K. Powell; Anders H. Andersen; Brandon D. Ramey; Erin L. Abner; Larry B. Goldstein; Zachary Winder; Brian T. Gold; Linda Van Eldik; Donna M. Wilcock; Gregory A. Jicha

doi:10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109270

Development of a protocol to assess within-subject, regional white matter hyperintensity changes in aging and dementia

Ahmed A. Bahrani, Charles D. Smith, Justin M. Barber, Omar M. Al-Janabi, David K. Powell, Anders H. Andersen, Brandon D. Ramey, Erin L. Abner, Larry B. Goldstein, Zachary Winder, Brian T. Gold, Linda Van Eldik, Donna M. Wilcock, Gregory A. Jicha

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Background: White matter hyperintensities (WMH), associated with both dementia risk and progression, can individually progress, remain stable, or even regress influencing cognitive decline related to specific cerebrovascular-risks. This study details the development and validation of a registration protocol to assess regional, within-subject, longitudinal WMH changes (ΔWMH) that is currently lacking in the field. New method: 3D-FLAIR images (baseline and one-year-visit) were used for protocol development and validation. The method was validated by assessing the correlation between forward and reverse longitudinal registration, and between summated regional progression-regression volumes and Global ΔWMH. The clinical relevance of growth-regression ΔWMH were explored in relation to an executive function test. Results: MRI scans for 79 participants (73.5 ± 8.8 years) were used in this study. Global ΔWMH vs. summated regional progression-regression volumes were highly associated (r2 = 0.90; p-value < 0.001). Bi-directional registration validated the registration method (r2 = 0.999; p-value < 0.001). Growth and regression, but not overall ΔWMH, were associated with one-year declines in performance on Trial-Making-Test-B. Comparison with existing method(s): This method presents a unique registration protocol for maximum tissue alignment, demonstrating three distinct patterns of longitudinal within-subject ΔWMH (stable, growth and regression). Conclusions: These data detail the development and validation of a registration protocol for use in assessing within-subject, voxel-level alterations in WMH volume. The methods developed for registration and intensity correction of longitudinal within-subject FLAIR images allow regional and within-lesion characterization of longitudinal ΔWMH. Assessing the impact of associated cerebrovascular-risks and longitudinal clinical changes in relation to dynamic regional ΔWMH is needed in future studies.

Original language	English
Article number	109270
Journal	Journal of Neuroscience Methods
Volume	360
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109270
State	Published - Aug 1 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier B.V.

Funding

This study was funded by NIH P30 AG028383 , UH2 NS100606 , and R01 AG042419 .

Funders	Funder number
National Institutes of Health (NIH)	P30 AG028383, UH2 NS100606
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
National Institute on Aging	R01AG042419
National Institute on Aging

Keywords

Aging
Cerebrovascular disease
Dementia
Longitudinal
Small vessel ischemic disease
White matter hyperintensity

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Neuroscience

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10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109270

Cite this

Bahrani, A. A., Smith, C. D., Barber, J. M., Al-Janabi, O. M., Powell, D. K., Andersen, A. H., Ramey, B. D., Abner, E. L., Goldstein, L. B., Winder, Z., Gold, B. T., Van Eldik, L., Wilcock, D. M., & Jicha, G. A. (2021). Development of a protocol to assess within-subject, regional white matter hyperintensity changes in aging and dementia. Journal of Neuroscience Methods, 360, Article 109270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109270

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title = "Development of a protocol to assess within-subject, regional white matter hyperintensity changes in aging and dementia",

abstract = "Background: White matter hyperintensities (WMH), associated with both dementia risk and progression, can individually progress, remain stable, or even regress influencing cognitive decline related to specific cerebrovascular-risks. This study details the development and validation of a registration protocol to assess regional, within-subject, longitudinal WMH changes (ΔWMH) that is currently lacking in the field. New method: 3D-FLAIR images (baseline and one-year-visit) were used for protocol development and validation. The method was validated by assessing the correlation between forward and reverse longitudinal registration, and between summated regional progression-regression volumes and Global ΔWMH. The clinical relevance of growth-regression ΔWMH were explored in relation to an executive function test. Results: MRI scans for 79 participants (73.5 ± 8.8 years) were used in this study. Global ΔWMH vs. summated regional progression-regression volumes were highly associated (r2 = 0.90; p-value < 0.001). Bi-directional registration validated the registration method (r2 = 0.999; p-value < 0.001). Growth and regression, but not overall ΔWMH, were associated with one-year declines in performance on Trial-Making-Test-B. Comparison with existing method(s): This method presents a unique registration protocol for maximum tissue alignment, demonstrating three distinct patterns of longitudinal within-subject ΔWMH (stable, growth and regression). Conclusions: These data detail the development and validation of a registration protocol for use in assessing within-subject, voxel-level alterations in WMH volume. The methods developed for registration and intensity correction of longitudinal within-subject FLAIR images allow regional and within-lesion characterization of longitudinal ΔWMH. Assessing the impact of associated cerebrovascular-risks and longitudinal clinical changes in relation to dynamic regional ΔWMH is needed in future studies.",

keywords = "Aging, Cerebrovascular disease, Dementia, Longitudinal, Small vessel ischemic disease, White matter hyperintensity",

author = "Bahrani, {Ahmed A.} and Smith, {Charles D.} and Barber, {Justin M.} and Al-Janabi, {Omar M.} and Powell, {David K.} and Andersen, {Anders H.} and Ramey, {Brandon D.} and Abner, {Erin L.} and Goldstein, {Larry B.} and Zachary Winder and Gold, {Brian T.} and {Van Eldik}, Linda and Wilcock, {Donna M.} and Jicha, {Gregory A.}",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2021 Elsevier B.V.",

year = "2021",

month = aug,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109270",

language = "English",

volume = "360",

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Bahrani, AA, Smith, CD, Barber, JM, Al-Janabi, OM, Powell, DK, Andersen, AH, Ramey, BD, Abner, EL , Goldstein, LB, Winder, Z, Gold, BT , Van Eldik, L, Wilcock, DM & Jicha, GA 2021, 'Development of a protocol to assess within-subject, regional white matter hyperintensity changes in aging and dementia', Journal of Neuroscience Methods, vol. 360, 109270. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109270

TY - JOUR

T1 - Development of a protocol to assess within-subject, regional white matter hyperintensity changes in aging and dementia

AU - Bahrani, Ahmed A.

AU - Smith, Charles D.

AU - Barber, Justin M.

AU - Al-Janabi, Omar M.

AU - Powell, David K.

AU - Andersen, Anders H.

AU - Ramey, Brandon D.

AU - Abner, Erin L.

AU - Goldstein, Larry B.

AU - Winder, Zachary

AU - Gold, Brian T.

AU - Van Eldik, Linda

AU - Wilcock, Donna M.

AU - Jicha, Gregory A.

PY - 2021/8/1

Y1 - 2021/8/1

N2 - Background: White matter hyperintensities (WMH), associated with both dementia risk and progression, can individually progress, remain stable, or even regress influencing cognitive decline related to specific cerebrovascular-risks. This study details the development and validation of a registration protocol to assess regional, within-subject, longitudinal WMH changes (ΔWMH) that is currently lacking in the field. New method: 3D-FLAIR images (baseline and one-year-visit) were used for protocol development and validation. The method was validated by assessing the correlation between forward and reverse longitudinal registration, and between summated regional progression-regression volumes and Global ΔWMH. The clinical relevance of growth-regression ΔWMH were explored in relation to an executive function test. Results: MRI scans for 79 participants (73.5 ± 8.8 years) were used in this study. Global ΔWMH vs. summated regional progression-regression volumes were highly associated (r2 = 0.90; p-value < 0.001). Bi-directional registration validated the registration method (r2 = 0.999; p-value < 0.001). Growth and regression, but not overall ΔWMH, were associated with one-year declines in performance on Trial-Making-Test-B. Comparison with existing method(s): This method presents a unique registration protocol for maximum tissue alignment, demonstrating three distinct patterns of longitudinal within-subject ΔWMH (stable, growth and regression). Conclusions: These data detail the development and validation of a registration protocol for use in assessing within-subject, voxel-level alterations in WMH volume. The methods developed for registration and intensity correction of longitudinal within-subject FLAIR images allow regional and within-lesion characterization of longitudinal ΔWMH. Assessing the impact of associated cerebrovascular-risks and longitudinal clinical changes in relation to dynamic regional ΔWMH is needed in future studies.

AB - Background: White matter hyperintensities (WMH), associated with both dementia risk and progression, can individually progress, remain stable, or even regress influencing cognitive decline related to specific cerebrovascular-risks. This study details the development and validation of a registration protocol to assess regional, within-subject, longitudinal WMH changes (ΔWMH) that is currently lacking in the field. New method: 3D-FLAIR images (baseline and one-year-visit) were used for protocol development and validation. The method was validated by assessing the correlation between forward and reverse longitudinal registration, and between summated regional progression-regression volumes and Global ΔWMH. The clinical relevance of growth-regression ΔWMH were explored in relation to an executive function test. Results: MRI scans for 79 participants (73.5 ± 8.8 years) were used in this study. Global ΔWMH vs. summated regional progression-regression volumes were highly associated (r2 = 0.90; p-value < 0.001). Bi-directional registration validated the registration method (r2 = 0.999; p-value < 0.001). Growth and regression, but not overall ΔWMH, were associated with one-year declines in performance on Trial-Making-Test-B. Comparison with existing method(s): This method presents a unique registration protocol for maximum tissue alignment, demonstrating three distinct patterns of longitudinal within-subject ΔWMH (stable, growth and regression). Conclusions: These data detail the development and validation of a registration protocol for use in assessing within-subject, voxel-level alterations in WMH volume. The methods developed for registration and intensity correction of longitudinal within-subject FLAIR images allow regional and within-lesion characterization of longitudinal ΔWMH. Assessing the impact of associated cerebrovascular-risks and longitudinal clinical changes in relation to dynamic regional ΔWMH is needed in future studies.

KW - Aging

KW - Cerebrovascular disease

KW - Dementia

KW - Longitudinal

KW - Small vessel ischemic disease

KW - White matter hyperintensity

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DO - 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2021.109270

M3 - Article

C2 - 34171312

AN - SCOPUS:85109562334

SN - 0165-0270

VL - 360

JO - Journal of Neuroscience Methods

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M1 - 109270

ER -

Development of a protocol to assess within-subject, regional white matter hyperintensity changes in aging and dementia

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

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