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How the human brain responds to aging.

Journal of the American Geriatrics Society

|January 1, 1976

Summary

Aging brains undergo structural changes like reduced volume and increased ventricle size, with microglia showing significant age-related alterations. Differentiating age-related decline from disease is crucial for understanding dementia and improving geriatric care.

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Gerontology
Pathology

Background:

Aging is associated with characteristic brain morphologic changes, including decreased weight and volume, altered cortical convolutions, and enlarged ventricles.
Cell loss in the brain varies regionally and can be exacerbated in conditions like Alzheimer's disease and senile dementia.
Microglia, a type of neuroglial cell, exhibit the most substantial changes with advancing age.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the morphologic and cellular changes in the aging brain.
To discuss the relationship between cerebrovascular pathology and senile brain disease.
To highlight the ongoing questions regarding the contributions of senescence versus disease to cognitive decline in the elderly.

Main Methods:

Review of neuropathologic studies on aging and senile brain disease.
Analysis of characteristic morphologic changes in the aged brain.
Discussion of cellular changes, particularly in microglia.

Main Results:

Senile brain disease is not solely secondary to atherosclerosis, with only 30-40% arising from cerebrovascular lesions.
Microglial cells undergo significant age-related transformations.
The precise contribution of senescence versus disease to observed cognitive deterioration in the aged remains unclear.

Conclusions:

Understanding the mechanisms of brain aging requires further research into gene expression and environmental interactions.
Distinguishing between normal aging and disease processes is essential for effective geriatric care and treatment of age-related cognitive disorders.
Continued investigation into brain aging is vital for advancing the control and treatment of disorders associated with old age.

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