Cognitive abilities, brain white matter hyperintensity volume, and structural network connectivity in older age
Stewart J Wiseman1, Tom Booth2, Stuart J Ritchie2,3
1Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
Human Brain Mapping
|November 16, 2017
Summary
Brain structural connectivity impacts cognitive abilities like processing speed in older adults. White matter hyperintensity volume partially mediates this relationship, highlighting its role in brain health.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Science
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Healthy aging is associated with changes in brain structure and cognitive function.
- White matter hyperintensities (WMH) are common in older adults and may affect brain connectivity.
- Understanding the relationship between brain networks and cognition is crucial for identifying factors influencing cognitive decline.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between brain structural connectivity and cognitive abilities in healthy older adults.
- To examine the mediating role of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume in these relationships.
Main Methods:
- Utilized MRI data from 558 participants (Lothian Birth Cohort 1936).
- Generated structural connectomes using brain segmentation and tractography.
- Assessed whole-brain connectivity with graph theory metrics and quantified WMH volume.
Main Results:
- Brain structural connectivity correlated with visuospatial reasoning, information processing speed, and crystallized ability.
- No significant association was found between connectivity and memory.
- WMH volume mediated 11%-15% of the relationship between network measures and processing speed.
Conclusions:
- Brain structural connectivity is linked to specific cognitive domains in healthy aging, excluding memory.
- The relationship between connectome and processing speed is partly mediated by WMH volume.
- Findings suggest WMH impacts cognitive function through altered brain networks.
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