The relationship between cortical atrophy and ventricular volume

Abstract

Utilizing volumetric measures of brain morphology, the relationship between cortical atrophy and ventricular dilation was examined in a sample of 59 Alzheimer's Disease patients and 48 closed head injury patients. Correlation matrices were constructed and factor analyses performed in order to elucidate the various relationships. In the Alzheimer Disease sample there appeared to be a moderately strong relationship between cortical atrophy and ventricular volume. However, analyses also lent support to the position that cortical atrophy and ventricular dilation reflect processes which are related yet somewhat independent. Results obtained from the closed head injury sample indicated that focal damage effects were more evident in cortical atrophy measures, while generalized effects were relatively more important in ventricular dilation. Finally, the relationships between neuropsychological performance and various combinations of high and low cortical atrophy and ventricular volume measures were modest.