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Updated: Apr 24, 2026

Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: July 28, 2013
Tract-specific white matter degeneration in aging: the Rotterdam Study
Marius de Groot1, M Arfan Ikram2, Saloua Akoudad2
1Department of Radiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Medical informatics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands; Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Brain white matter microstructure changes with normal aging, potentially indicating neurodegeneration earlier than traditional markers. Cardiovascular risk factors like hypertension and diabetes worsen these age-related microstructural changes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Radiology
Background:
- White matter microstructure loss is a suspected early sign of neurodegenerative diseases.
- Limited understanding exists regarding microstructural changes in white matter tracts during normal aging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate age-related microstructural changes in specific white matter tracts.
- To determine if these changes correlate with macrostructural white matter alterations.
- To assess the impact of cardiovascular risk factors on white matter microstructure.
Main Methods:
- Utilized probabilistic tractography to analyze diffusion characteristics in 25 white matter tracts.
- Studied 4532 non-demented elderly individuals.
- Examined the relationship between aging, macrostructural changes, cardiovascular risk factors, and white matter microstructure.
Main Results:
- Progressive loss of microstructural organization was observed in association, commissural, and limbic tracts with increasing age.
- White matter lesions and atrophy partially accounted for the observed microstructural decline.
- Severe hypertension, current smoking, and diabetes mellitus were associated with poorer microstructure, independent of age and macrostructural changes.
Conclusions:
- White matter tract microstructure undergoes age-related changes, potentially serving as a more sensitive marker for neurodegeneration than lesion load or atrophy.
- Cardiovascular risk factors are linked to the deterioration of white matter microstructural organization.
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