Choroid Plexus Volume Up With Advanced Cognitive Impairment

TUESDAY, May 17, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Among patients with cognitive symptoms, choroid plexus volume is associated with the stage of cognitive impairment, according to a study published online May 17 in Radiology.

Jong Duck Choi, M.D., from Konkuk University School of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, and colleagues examined choroid plexus volume, permeability, and susceptibility using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at various stages of cognitive impairment. A total of 532 patients with cognitive symptoms who underwent 3.0-T MRI of the brain between January 2013 and May 2020 were evaluated: 78 had subjective cognitive impairment, 158 had early mild cognitive impairment (MCI), 149 had late MCI, and 147 had Alzheimer disease.

The researchers found that patients at more severe stages of cognitive impairment had greater choroid plexus volume. There were negative associations observed for lower volume transfer constant and fractional plasma volume with choroid plexus volume, but no association was seen for susceptibility. Negative associations were seen for choroid plexus volume with memory, executive function, and global cognition.

"Choroid plexus volume and permeability may be potential imaging markers for cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease, independent of amyloid abnormality or neurodegeneration," the authors write. "Further validation and longitudinal studies are required to determine whether choroid plexus volume can be used in combination with other volumetric measures as a surrogate parameter for cognitive decline."

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