Abstract #1590

Gach H, Dai W, Carmichael O, Lopez O

Spatial normalization involves transforming all of the subjects data to the same stereotactic space to facilitate the comparison of different subjects. Two normalization methods were compared in the elderly brain for registration accuracy of two local structures and statistical comparisons of subject groups for the entire cerebrum: 1) statistical parametric mapping (SPM), and 2) Chens fully deformable method. Chens method provided excellent registration of the left hippocampus and left thalamus, while SPM misplaced the regions. Chens method revealed markedly larger regions of statistical significance (on average by 230%) than SPM for 13 of 14 brain regions of interest.