Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 31, 2026
08:54
Immunostaining of Biocytin-filled and Processed Sections for Neurochemical Markers
Published on: December 31, 2016
23.9K
Neurochemical changes in the aging brain: A systematic review
Carlee Cleeland1, Andrew Pipingas1, Andrew Scholey1
1Centre of Human Psychopharmacology, Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia.
Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews
|January 10, 2019
Summary
Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) reveals key brain changes with aging. N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) decreases and Myo-inositol (mI) increases, offering insights into cognitive aging.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is crucial for in vivo neurochemical analysis.
- Advancements in magnetic field strength and methods enhance neurometabolite examination accuracy.
- Understanding cognitive aging requires detailed study of brain chemistry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review age-associated neurometabolite changes using proton MRS.
- To associate these changes with cognition in non-clinical aging populations.
- To evaluate the potential of 1H-MRS in tracking age-related brain chemistry shifts.
Main Methods:
- Systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines.
- Screened 179 studies, with 42 eligible for inclusion.
- Analyzed studies based on voxel placement, magnetic field strength, and sample size.
Main Results:
- N-acetyl aspartate (NAA) concentration consistently decreased with age, primarily in the frontal lobe.
- Myo-inositol (mI) concentration consistently increased with age, particularly in the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC).
- Observed NAA and mI changes resemble those seen in Alzheimer disease.
Conclusions:
- Proton MRS effectively measures age-related neurometabolite alterations.
- Reduced NAA and increased mI are significant indicators of cognitive aging.
- 1H-MRS shows promise for monitoring neurochemical changes associated with aging and neurodegenerative diseases.
Related Concept Videos
01:10Review and Preview
8.4K
In statistics, several tools are used to interpret the data. Measures of central tendency represent the characteristics of the data, such as mean, median, and mode. Additionally, measures of variance like standard deviation and range are used to find the spread of data from the mean. Relative standing measures the distance between data locations. Commonly used measures of relative standings are percentile, z score, and quartiles.
Percentiles are a type of fractile that partition data into...
Percentiles are a type of fractile that partition data into...
8.4K
01:13Review and Preview
11.2K
Data are individual items of information obtained from a population or sample. Data may be classified as qualitative (categorical), quantitative continuous, or quantitative discrete. Because it is not practical to measure the entire population in a study, researchers use samples to represent the population. A random sample is a representative group from the population chosen by using a method that gives each individual in the population an equal chance of being included in the sample. Random...
11.2K
01:26Neurochemical Transmission: Sites of Drug Action
3.6K
Neurochemical transmission, the conduction of electrical impulses between neurons mediated by neurotransmitters, plays a vital role in various physiological processes. Autonomic drugs exert their effects by modulating neurotransmission within the autonomic nervous system. For instance, drugs such as hemicholinium block the precursor uptake necessary for synthesizing acetylcholine, an essential autonomic neurotransmitter. Following synthesis, neurotransmitters are stored in vesicles. Metyrosine...
3.6K
01:20Random and Systematic Errors
14.9K
Scientists always try their best to record measurements with the utmost accuracy and precision. However, sometimes errors do occur. These errors can be random or systematic. Random errors are observed due to the inconsistency or fluctuation in the measurement process, or variations in the quantity itself that is being measured. Such errors fluctuate from being greater than or less than the true value in repeated measurements. Consider a scientist measuring the length of an earthworm using a...
14.9K
01:17Systematic Sampling Method
13.2K
Sampling is a technique to select a portion (or subset) of the larger population and study that portion (the sample) to gain information about the population. Data are the result of sampling from a population. The sampling method ensures that samples are drawn without bias and accurately represent the population. Because measuring the entire population in a study is not practical, researchers use samples to represent the population of interest.
Systematic sampling is one of the simplest methods...
Systematic sampling is one of the simplest methods...
13.2K
01:26Aging
698
Aging is a complex biological phenomenon influenced by various processes that affect cellular and systemic functions. Several prominent theories attempt to explain its mechanisms, highlighting cellular limitations, oxidative damage, and hormonal changes as central factors in aging.
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
698