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Published on: March 27, 2018
Caudate dopamine D1 receptor density is associated with individual differences in frontoparietal connectivity during
Anna Rieckmann1, Sari Karlsson, Håkan Fischer
1Aging Research Center, Karolinska Institute, E-113 30 Stockholm, Sweden. anna.rieckmann@ki.se
Summary
Aging reduces striatal D1 receptor density, impacting brain connectivity. Lower receptor levels correlate with altered prefrontal-parietal connections, suggesting a role in age-related cognitive changes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Aging
- Neuroimaging
Background:
- Age-related decline in brain function is a significant concern.
- Previous studies indicate age-related changes in functional brain networks.
- The role of dopamine D1 receptors in aging brain connectivity is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between age-related changes in striatal D1 receptor density and functional brain connectivity.
- To examine how D1 receptor density influences specific cortical network connections in aging humans.
- To explore the neurobiological underpinnings of age-related cognitive alterations.
Main Methods:
- Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to assess seed-based functional connectivity.
- Positron emission tomography (PET) with [(11)C]SCH23390 quantified caudate D1 receptor density.
- Partial correlation analyses examined associations between D1 receptor density and connectivity, controlling for age.
Main Results:
- Older adults exhibited reduced caudate D1 receptor density compared to younger adults.
- Reduced D1 receptor density was associated with decreased frontoparietal connectivity.
- Individual differences in D1 receptor density correlated with specific prefrontal-parietal connectivity patterns.
Conclusions:
- Striatal D1 receptor density is linked to age-related alterations in prefrontal-parietal functional connectivity.
- These findings suggest a role for D1 receptors in mediating information transfer relevant to cognitive function in aging.
- The results align with animal studies implicating D1 receptors in cortico-striatal pathways.
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