Anushka Gupta

27 November 2018

Artificial Intelligence

Adler, Daniel H., et al. “Characterizing the Human Hippocampus in Aging and Alzheimer's

Disease Using a Computational Atlas Derived from Ex Vivo MRI and Histology.” ​PNAS​,

National Academy of Sciences, 17 Apr. 2018, ​www.pnas.org/content/115/16/4252​.

Constructing a Computational Atlas of the Hippocampus

Located within the brain’s medial temporal lobe, the hippocampus plays an important

role in the functionality of the limbic system. It is responsible for storing memories, more

specifically ​long-term ​memory. When people are afflicted by Alzheimer’s disease (AD) or

dementia, the effects are most clearly shown in the subregions of the hippocampus but there is

limited data on these regional effects therefore hampering research on in vivo morphometry.

Therefore, a probabilistic 3D atlas of the hippocampus was formed through ex vivo MRI scans to

show its anatomy and a better ability to examine localized effects of Alzheimer’s and aging on

the hippocampus. With this, scientists were then able to better visualize the changes in subfield

volume across a wide data set with some subjects impaired with diseases and those without.

One section I found interesting in particular was the one titled “Anterior and posterior

hippocampal volume and digitation/folds”. The findings in Fig. 2 showed that there was

significant decrease in anterior hippocampal volume observed in AD while there was a

significant decrease in posterior hippocampal volume observed for aging. I always thought that

AD happened due to aging however they both affect different parts of the hippocampus showing

that they are independent of each other. Cognitive aging is common however it doesn’t mean that
someone is at a high risk for AD. Upon further research, I have since learned that AD is mainly a

result of a “swapping” of genes and it is a neurodegenerative disease that is not only changing

the volume of the hippocampus but it causes the death of neurons causing the brain to shrink.

However, cognitive aging has to do with a “decrease in the number and length of dendritic

segments in specific layers of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex” as stated in the ​Postgraduate

Medical Journal​. ​Just by looking at the statistical map I learned an important distinction between

two conditions that can easily be confused with each other. It is very likely that other people

might have this misconception and imaging like this can provide evidence for what the specific

characteristics of a disease are, which would be immensely helpful to scientists as well as in

educating the general public.

The work described in this paper is just another example of technology tackling big

issues. With the results, there was more insight provided about the involvement of different parts

of the hippocampus in aging and disease during life. Once a definitive pattern is identified with

the data, scientists may be able to catch AD through in vivo MRIs in its early stages. Though

there is no cure for AD or other dementias yet, there may be an opened possibility of helping

patients manage their symptoms earlier. This disease affects 44 million people worldwide and

mentally, physically, and financially exhausts many patients and their families. With technology

aiding movement towards a heightened understanding of AD and its effect on the structure of the

hippocampus, there may be a slight hope for new discoveries in terms of treatments. In fact, just

in the past few days it was revealed that scientists have made a major breakthrough in treating

patients with AD with HIV drugs and have already launched into clinical trials to see if it will

actually work. This discovery may not be related to the creation of a computational atlas of the
hippocampus however it was a result of new technology that allowed scientists to observe the

movement of genes through the course of someone’s life which ultimately leads to AD.