Brain Volumes and Longitudinal Cognitive Change: A Population-based Study
Deepti Vibha1,2,3, Henning Tiemeier1,4, Saira S Mirza1
1Departments of Epidemiology.
Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders
|December 27, 2017
Summary
Lower total brain volume is linked to cognitive decline in older adults. Specific brain regions, like the frontal and parietal lobes, are associated with declines in processing speed and motor function.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Radiology
Background:
- Cognitive decline is a significant concern in aging populations.
- Brain volume reduction and white matter lesions are common in older adults.
- Understanding their impact on cognition is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between brain volumes, white matter lesions (WML), and lacunes with cognitive decline.
- To investigate these associations in a population-based cohort of non-demented individuals.
Main Methods:
- The Rotterdam Study cohort included 3624 participants.
- Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed.
- Cognitive function was assessed using a test battery covering executive function, processing speed, motor speed, and memory over two time points (2005-2009 and 2011-2013).
- Linear regression models analyzed associations between volumetric measures (total brain, lobar, hippocampal volumes, WML, lacunes) and cognitive decline.
Main Results:
- Smaller total brain volume correlated with declines in global cognition, information processing, and motor speed.
- Reduced frontal and parietal lobe volumes were linked to declines in information processing and motor speed.
- Smaller temporal and parietal lobe volumes were associated with declines in general cognition and motor speed.
- Total white matter lesion (WML) volume was associated with executive function decline.
- Lobar WML volume, hippocampal volume, and lacunes showed no significant association with cognitive decline.
Conclusions:
- Lower brain volume, particularly in specific lobes, is associated with subsequent cognitive decline in non-demented older adults.
- These findings highlight the importance of brain volume in maintaining cognitive function across different domains.
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