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Updated: Nov 16, 2025

Diffusion Tensor Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Analysis of Neurodegenerative Diseases
Published on: July 28, 2013
Longitudinal deterioration of white-matter integrity: heterogeneity in the ageing population
Konstantinos Poulakis1, Robert I Reid2, Scott A Przybelski2
1Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm 141 52, Sweden.
Abstract:
Deterioration in white-matter health plays a role in cognitive ageing. Our goal was to discern heterogeneity of white-matter tract vulnerability in ageing using longitudinal imaging data (two to five imaging and cognitive assessments per participant) from a population-based sample of 553 elderly participants (age ≥60 years). We found that different clusters (healthy white matter, fast white-matter decliners and intermediate white-matter group) were heterogeneous in the spatial distribution of white-matter integrity, systemic health and cognitive trajectories. White-matter health of specific tracts (genu of corpus callosum, posterior corona radiata and anterior internal capsule) informed about cluster assignments. Not surprisingly, brain amyloidosis was not significantly different between clusters. Clusters had differential white-matter tract vulnerability to ageing (commissural fibres > association/brainstem fibres). Identification of vulnerable white-matter tracts is a valuable approach to assessing risk for cognitive decline.
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