Memory Performance is Negatively Correlated with Resting CBF Level in Hippocampus in Healthy Elderly

Siyuan Hu¹, Hengyi Rao¹, Lauren Mancuso¹, John A. Detre¹, David Wolk¹

The medial temporal lobe (MTL) plays a critical role in episodic memory function, and is activated by episodic memory tasks. Deficits in episodic memory performance are also seen in aging and in Alzheimer's disease. Here we correlated resting MTL function as measured by arterial spin labeled (ASL) perfusion MRI with episodic memory performance in 31 cognitively normal elderly participants. After controlling for age, years of education, gender, and global CBF values, we found a negative correlation between episodic memory performances and resting CBF in left hippocampus. These findings suggest that resting MTL perfusion provides a biomarker of memory performance phenotype, and that increased CBF may represent a compensatory response to memory decline.