Abstract #0309

Barkhof F, Kuijer J, Scheltens P, Rombouts S

Eighteen patients with Alzheimers disease, 28 patients with mild cognitive impairment and 41 healthy elderly controls participated. Static (no time series) BOLD-sensitive reference state EPI images (visual fixation) showed decreased signal in patients in the hippocampus, posterior cingulate cortex / precuneus, insula / putamen, and parietal cortex. This shows that not only brain (de)activation is altered in dementia with FMRI, but also the static signal during the reference condition in certain regions. Most of these differences are likely caused by grey matter atrophy, although decreased metabolism, or perhaps iron deposition may also contribute.