Neuropsychology and neuroimaging profiles of amyloid-positive versus amyloid-negative amnestic mild cognitive impairment patients.

Introduction: Patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) are heterogeneous as regard to their amyloid status. The present study aimed at highlighting the neuropsychological, brain atrophy, and hypometabolism profiles of amyloid-positive (Aβpos) versus amyloid-negative (Aβneg) aMCI patients.

Methods: Forty-four aMCI patients and 24 Aβneg healthy controls underwent neuropsychological, structural magnetic resonance imaging and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography scans. Data were compared between groups in specific regions of interest and voxelwise with statistical parametric mapping.

Results: When directly comparing Aβpos to Aβneg aMCI, the former had lower performances in episodic memory tests ( P  = .02 to P  < .001) while the latter had worse scores in working memory ( P  = .01) and language ( P  < .005). Compared to Aβneg healthy controls, both aMCI subgroups showed similar profiles of atrophy and hypometabolism, with no difference between both aMCI subgroups.

Conclusion: In a sample of aMCI patients recruited and scanned in the same center, the main difference at baseline between Aβpos and Aβneg aMCI concerned the neuropsychological profile, but not the structural magnetic resonance imaging or 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography profiles of brain alterations.