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Hippocampal and entorhinal cortex volume decline in cognitively intact elderly
Philipp Arthur Thomann1, Torsten Wüstenberg, Henrike Maria Nolte
1Section of Geriatric Psychiatry, University of Heidelberg, Germany. philipp.thomann@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Normal aging causes brain shrinkage in specific medial temporal lobe regions, including the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex. This research clarifies age-related brain changes, aiding in distinguishing normal aging from disease.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Radiology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Understanding age-related brain changes is vital for distinguishing normal aging from pathological conditions.
- The impact of aging on hippocampal formation morphology remains debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related morphological changes in the hippocampal formation and entorhinal cortex.
- To assess whether the hippocampus shrinks with normal aging.
Main Methods:
- Utilized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on two cognitively unimpaired cohorts (53-55 and 73-75 years).
- Employed voxel-based morphometry (VBM-DARTEL) and shape analysis (FSL-FIRST).
- Cohorts were matched for gender, education, handedness, and apolipoprotein E status.
Main Results:
- Significant age-related, bihemispheric shrinkage was observed in the subiculum and cornu ammonis.
- The entorhinal cortex also showed age-related shrinkage, as identified by VBM.
- These findings confirm aging's effect on medial temporal lobe morphology.
Conclusions:
- Aging significantly impacts medial temporal lobe structures, including the hippocampus and entorhinal cortex.
- These morphometric alterations are important for interpreting structural and functional neuroimaging findings.
- Results help differentiate normal aging from age-related diseases and understand functional imaging variations.
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