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In cognitive function testing, the group that exhibited a complete response showed improvement primarily in parameters reflecting frontal lobe function. Complete responders also showed significantly greater blood flow increases in the basal ganglion and thalamus early during the treatment period. This indicates that the drug responsiveness of the basal ganglion and thalamus affects frontal lobe function and distinguishes complete responders from patients who do not exhibit such a response.

To establish an early diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), we evaluated brain spatial dynamics and cognitive function in mild AD. Seventeen patients with the diagnosis of mild AD and 17 age-matched controls were examined for Ω (global complexity), Σ (total power) and Φ (generalized frequency) by 19-channel electroencephalography (EEG). As a result, the mild AD group showed significantly higher Ω values than the control group. The Φ values were highly correlated with the Mini-Mental State Examination scores and the full IQ and performance IQ scores of the Japanese Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Revised. These results indicate an increase in spatial complexity of the brain electric field in mild AD, as well as a close relationship between slowing of the global frequency of field changes and the cognitive decline in mild AD.

Grey matter, white matter and cerebrospinal volume in the human brain were measured using magnetic resonance image analysis software BRAINS. Ten volunteers were scanned in the MR sequence (3D-SPGR; 1.5-mm slice thickness and T2 images; 3mm slice thickness). Two operators obtained ten volume measures of grey matter,white matter and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the intracranial box, frontal box, temporal box, parietal box and occipital box. The same data set of ten scans was segmented and the volumes measured on a second occasion by one operator using the same procedure. The interoperator and intraoperator reliabilities for measures of the three brain tissues were very good, with reliability coefficients (intraclass correlation coefficients) ranging between 0.971 and 0.999. The segmentation and measurement are useful for volumetric studies in the human brain using BRAINS.

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