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The Italian Brain Normative Archive of structural MR scans: norms for medial temporal atrophy and white matter lesions

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Abstract

Background and aims: To describe the clinical and neuropsychological features of a large group of cognitively intact persons subjected to brain high-resolution magnetic resonance (MR), to compare them with the general population, and to set norms for medial temporal atrophy and white matter lesions. Methods: Participants in the Italian Brain Normative Archive (IBNA) study were 483 consecutive volunteers undergoing MR for reasons unrelated to cognition (migraine or headache, visual and balance or auditory disturbances, paresthesias, and others) and showing no brain damage. Manual tracing of hippocampal and amygdalar volumes and visual rating of white matter lesions were made. The whole study group was stratified by age (≤60 and 60+ yrs) and by the reason for MR prescription. Results: In the whole group, mean age and education were 52.4±13.7 and 9.8±4.2 years, respectively, and the prevalence of women was 63%. Clinical, neuropsychological and morphometric features were similar in the stratified subgroups. Neuropsychological features were those expected for age and education based on Italian normative values. Hippocampal and amygdalar volumes were not associated with age, except for the right amygdala (B −0.159, 95% CI −0.28 to −0.03, p=0.016). Conclusions: Persons in the IBNA study had clinical and neuropsychological features consistent with that of the general population. Their brain morphometric features may be used as normative references for patients with suspected neurodegenerative disorders.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LENITEM — Laboratory of Epidemiology, Neuroimaging and Telemedicine, IRCCS Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy

    Samantha Galluzzi, Cristina Testa, Marina Boccardi, Lorena Bresciani & Giovanni B. Frisoni MD

  2. NeuroBioGenLab-Memory Clinic, IRCCS San Giovanni di Dio-Fatebenefratelli, via Pilastroni 4, 25125, Brescia, Italy

    Luisa Benussi & Giuliano Binetti

  3. Proteomics Unit, IRCCS San Giovanni di Dio-Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy

    Roberta Ghidoni

  4. Neuroradiology Service, Ospedale Maggiore, Verona, Italy

    Alberto Beltramello & Enrico Piovan

  5. Neuroradiology Service, Istituto Clinico Città di Brescia, Brescia, Italy

    Matteo Bonetti

  6. Department of Neurology and Neuroradiology Service, Ospedale di Circolo e Fondazione Macchi, University of Insubria, Varese, Italy

    Giorgio Bono & Giorgio Minonzio

  7. Neuroradiology Service, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele Scientific Institute, H San Raffaele, Milano, Italy

    Andrea Falini

  8. Department of Neurology and Clinical Neurophysiopathology, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele Scientific Institute, H San Raffaele, Milano, Italy

    Giuseppe Magnani

  9. Psychogeriatric Ward, IRCCS Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy

    Giovanni B. Frisoni MD

  10. AFaR, Associazione Fatebenefratelli per la Ricerca Biomedica e Sanitaria, Roma, Italy

    Giovanni B. Frisoni MD

Authors
  1. Samantha Galluzzi
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  2. Cristina Testa
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  3. Marina Boccardi
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  4. Lorena Bresciani
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  5. Luisa Benussi
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  6. Roberta Ghidoni
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  7. Alberto Beltramello
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  8. Matteo Bonetti
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  9. Giorgio Bono
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  10. Andrea Falini
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  11. Giuseppe Magnani
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  12. Giorgio Minonzio
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  13. Enrico Piovan
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  14. Giuliano Binetti
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  15. Giovanni B. Frisoni MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Giovanni B. Frisoni MD.

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Galluzzi, S., Testa, C., Boccardi, M. et al. The Italian Brain Normative Archive of structural MR scans: norms for medial temporal atrophy and white matter lesions. Aging Clin Exp Res 21, 266–276 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324915

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03324915

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