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Abbiategrasso Brain Bank Protocol for Collecting, Processing and Characterizing Aging Brains
Published on: June 3, 2020
Age, Alzheimer disease, and brain structure
C A Raji1, O L Lopez, L H Kuller
1Departments of Pathology, School of Medicine and Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213-2582, USA. cyrusraji@gmail.com
Neurology
|October 23, 2009
Summary
Normal aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD) cause distinct brain gray matter (GM) atrophy patterns, with significant overlap observed in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Neurology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Understanding the distinct and overlapping patterns of gray matter (GM) atrophy in normal aging versus early Alzheimer's disease (AD) is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment.
- In vivo brain imaging studies are essential for characterizing these subtle volumetric changes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To differentiate and identify shared regions of GM atrophy between normal aging and early Alzheimer's disease.
- To utilize advanced neuroimaging techniques to map these distinct and overlapping patterns.
Main Methods:
- Volumetric MRI scans were acquired from 169 cognitively normal individuals and 33 individuals with probable AD.
- Voxel-based morphometry was employed to analyze GM atrophy, controlling for total intracranial volume, gender, education, and race.
- Participants were part of the longitudinal Cardiovascular Health Study-Cognition Study.
Main Results:
- Older age was associated with reduced GM volume in sensorimotor and heteromodal association areas across multiple lobes and the cerebellum.
- Additional age-related atrophy was noted in the posterior hippocampus, thalamus, and middle cingulate gyrus.
- Alzheimer's disease patients exhibited atrophy in anterior hippocampal/parahippocampal regions and the precuneus, with overlap in the hippocampal body and entorhinal cortex.
Conclusions:
- Brain atrophy in aging affects both supratentorial and infratentorial areas, including primary motor, sensory, and association regions.
- Alzheimer's disease and normal aging independently impact GM atrophy patterns.
- Substantial overlap in atrophy patterns between aging and AD was identified in the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex.
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