Does an increase in sulcal or ventricular fluid predict where brain tissue is lost?
Quantitative volumes of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and brain tissue were measured on magnetic resonance images (MRIs) of 287 individuals from 5 diagnostic groups: Alzheimer’s disease (AD), chronic alcoholics (ALC), individuals positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), schizophrenia subjects (SZ), and normal comparison subjects (NC) older than 50 years of age. Within each group, mean volumes were calculated for ventricular CSF, cortical (sulcal) CSF, cortical gray matter, total white matter, basal ganglia gray matter, and thalamic gray matter. Correlations of CSF measures with brain tissue measures were determined, and multiple regression analyses were performed to try and predict volume of gray matter or white matter region from volume of CSF compartment. Results indicated the following: 1. Enlarged cortical fluid volume significantly predicts cortical gray matter deficits for subjects with AD and those who are ALC and SZ but not for subjects with HIV or NC. 2. Enlarged cortical
