Atrophic changes of the hippocampus are typically regarded as an early sign of Alzheimer’s dementia (AD). Using the radial distance atrophy mapping approach, we compared the longitudinal MRI data of 10 cognitively normal elderly subjects who remained normal at 3-year and 6-year follow-up (NL-NL) and 7 cognitively normal elderly subjects who were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) 2.8 (range 2.0–3.9) and with AD 6.8 years (range 6.1–8.2) after baseline (NL-MCIAD). 3D statistical maps revealed greater hippocampal atrophy in the NL-MCIAD relative to the NL-NL group at baseline (left p = 0.05; right p = 0.06) corresponding to 10–15% CA1, and 10–25% subicular atrophy, and bilateral differences at 3-year follow-up (left p = 0.001, right p < 0.02) corresponding to 10–30% subicular, 10–20% CA1, and 10–20% newly developed CA2-3 atrophy. This preliminary study suggests that excess CA1 and subicular atrophy is present in cognitively normal individuals predestined to decline to amnestic MCI, while progressive involvement of the CA1 and subiculum, and atrophy spreading to the CA2-3 subfield in amnestic MCI, suggests future diagnosis of AD.

secondary to structural and/or clinical factors underpinning the differences found.

Drug courts are popular for dealing with drug-abusing offenders. However, relatively little is known about participant characteristics that reliably predict either success or failure in these treatment settings. In this article, we report on 99 individuals who were enrolled in a drug court program (approximately one-half of whom successfully completed the program). Using, logistic regression techniques we identified 2 significant predictors of outcome. First, individuals who were employed at the time of their enrollment into the drug court program were more likely to successfully complete the treatment program. Second, individuals with a history of illicit intravenous drug use were less likely to complete the program.