阿尔茨海默病患者认知功能的不同方面受到影响。迄今为止,关于脑成像特征与个体阿尔茨海默病(AD)相关认知功能变化之间的关联知之甚少。此外,目前尚不清楚这些关联在不同成像模式之间有何差异.这里,我们训练并研究了3D卷积神经网络(CNN)模型,该模型基于MRI和FDG-PET脑成像数据预测13项阿尔茨海默病评估量表-认知子量表(ADAS-Cog13)的子得分.经过训练的网络的分析表明,每个关键的ADAS-Cog13子得分与成像模式中的一组特定的大脑特征相关联。此外,在MRI和FDG-PET模式中观察到不同的关联模式.根据核磁共振,认知子得分通常与皮质下区域的结构变化有关,包括杏仁核,海马体,还有壳核.相对而言,根据FDG-PET,认知功能通常与皮质区域的代谢变化有关,包括扣带回,枕骨皮质,中前回,前叶皮质,还有小脑.这些发现为复杂的AD病因提供了见解,并强调了研究不同脑成像方式的重要性。
Different aspects of cognitive functions are affected in patients with Alzheimer\'s disease. To date, little is known about the associations between features from brain-imaging and individual Alzheimer\'s disease (AD)-related cognitive functional changes. In addition, how these associations differ among different imaging modalities is unclear. Here, we trained and investigated 3D convolutional neural network (CNN) models that predicted sub-scores of the 13-item Alzheimer\'s Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale (ADAS-Cog13) based on MRI and FDG-PET brain-imaging data. Analysis of the trained network showed that each key ADAS-Cog13 sub-score was associated with a specific set of brain features within an imaging modality. Furthermore, different association patterns were observed in MRI and FDG-PET modalities. According to MRI, cognitive sub-scores were typically associated with structural changes of subcortical regions, including amygdala, hippocampus, and putamen. Comparatively, according to FDG-PET, cognitive functions were typically associated with metabolic changes of cortical regions, including the cingulated gyrus, occipital cortex, middle front gyrus, precuneus cortex, and the cerebellum. These findings brought insights into complex AD etiology and emphasized the importance of investigating different brain-imaging modalities.