No abstract

Changes in several regions within the brain have been associated with progression from healthy aging to Alzheimer's disease (AD), including the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, and more recently, the inferior parietal lobule (IPL). In this study, the IPL was divided into three subregions: the gyrus, the banks of the sulcus, and the fundus to determine if these regions are independent of medial temporal regions in the progression of AD. Participants of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI; n=54) underwent a structural MRI scan and neuropsychological exam, and were categorized as normal controls, mild cognitively impaired (MCI), or AD. FreeSurfer was initially used to identify the boundaries of the IPL. Each subregion was then manually traced based on FreeSurfer curvature intensities. Multivariate analyses of variance were used to compare groups. Results suggest that changes in thickness of the banks of the inferior parietal lobule are occurring early in the progression from normal to MCI, followed by changes in the gyrus and fundus, and these measures are related to neuropsychological performance.

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Anatomical relationships are challenging concepts for first-year medical students. The use of progressive drawing, where an image is created from a blank template, has long been utilized for outlining anatomical relationships and continuity from one region to another, and has shown positive outcomes for student learning. More recently, computerized progressive drawing has been introduced; however, challenges, including issues with visual clarity, have been described. In this study, 17 computerized screencasts of drawings covering neurovasculature of the limbs, abdomen, pelvis, head, and neck were created and provided to first-year medical students at Morehouse School of Medicine. An animated method for drawing was utilized to increase visual clarity. Surveys were provided to 181 first-year medical students to collect feedback about these screencasts. Sixty percent (n = 108) of students completed at least one survey. Respondents rated all 17 screencasts with a minimum of 4.7/5 for helpfulness in learning the material for course examinations. A majority of students (77.8%) reported viewing the screencasts more than once on at least one survey, and students reported varying methods for utilizing the screencasts. A majority of students provided positive feedback relating to technical quality. Some significant differences in course performance were seen based on screencast usage. The positive responses from students indicate that this is a useful method in medical education. Anat Sci Educ 11: 445-460. © 2018 American Association of Anatomists.

Atrophy within the hippocampus (HP) as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a promising biomarker for the progression to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Subregions of the HP along the longitudinal axis have been found to demonstrate unique function, as well as undergo differential changes in the progression to AD. Little is known of relationships between such HP subregions and other potential biomarkers, such as neuropsychological (NP), genetic, and cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) beta amyloid and tau measures. The purpose of this study was to subdivide the hippocampus to determine how the head, body, and tail were affected in normal control, mild cognitively impaired, and AD subjects, and investigate relationships with HP subregions and other potential biomarkers. MRI scans of 120 participants of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative were processed using FreeSurfer, and the HP was subdivided using 3D Slicer. Each subregion was compared among groups, and correlations were used to determine relationships with NP, genetic, and CSF measures. Results suggest that HP subregions are undergoing differential atrophy in AD, and demonstrate unique relationships with NP and CSF data. Discriminant function analyses revealed that these regions, when combined with NP and CSF measures, were able to classify by diagnostic group, and classify MCI subjects who would and would not progress to AD within 12 months. Anat Rec,