Alzheimer’s Disease and the Volume of Hippocampal Subfields: Cluster Analysis Using Neuroimaging Data

Abstract

This study analyzes the presence of volumetric changes in subfields of the hippocampus using structural MR image from a large database of volunteers, selected and screened in three distinct groups of elderly subjects: Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or cognitive impairment mild (MCI) and control group (CG). Images were processed using the FreeSurfer (FS) software methodology specifically developed for automated segmentation of these hippocampal subfields and this selected dataset has based a dissertation research about aging. Statistical tools allowed evaluating the presence of correlation between age and volumetric changes of hippocampal subfields in the advancing age. In addition, clustering analysis showed important similarities between the volumes of the hippocampal subfields of these subjects.