Regional diffusion changes of cerebral grey matter during normal aging--a fluid-inversion prepared diffusion imaging...

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Radiology
• Gerontology

Background:

• White matter (WM) aging is well-documented, but grey matter (GM) diffusion characteristics, particularly cortical GM, remain less understood.
• Investigating age-related changes in GM diffusion is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of brain aging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate age-related water diffusivity changes in grey matter (GM) using the fluid-inversion prepared diffusion imaging (FLIPD) technique.
• To determine if specific brain regions within the GM exhibit age-dependent alterations in diffusion characteristics.

Main Methods:

• 120 healthy volunteers were stratified into three age groups (20-39, 40-59, and 60+ years).
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with FLIPD at 3.0T was employed to assess diffusion.
• Apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were quantified in the frontal GM, cingulate cortex, and thalami via region-of-interest analysis.

Main Results:

• Significantly higher ADC values were observed in the thalami and left frontal GM of the oldest group (60+ years) compared to younger groups.
• No significant age-related differences in ADC values were found in the right frontal GM or bilateral cingulate cortex.
• A positive correlation between age and ADC values was significant in the thalami and left frontal GM, but not in the cingulate cortex or right frontal GM.

Conclusions:

• Statistically significant age-related diffusion changes were identified in the thalami and left frontal cortex.
• These findings highlight regional variations in age-related diffusion alterations within the grey matter.
• The study provides valuable reference data for future neuroimaging research on brain aging.