Inter- and intra-individual variation in brain structural-cognition relationships in aging
Raihaan Patel1, Clare E Mackay2, Michelle G Jansen3
1Computational Brain Anatomy Laboratory, Cerebral Imaging Centre, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Verdun, Québec, H4H 1R3, Canada; Department of Biological and Biomedical Engineering, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, H3A 2B4, Canada.
Neuroimage
|May 1, 2022
Summary
Understanding brain structure variations linked to cognitive changes in aging is key. This study reveals how different brain components relate to cognitive decline and maintenance over 20 years.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Aging
- Brain Imaging
Background:
- Inter- and intra-individual variability in age-related cognitive decline is not well understood.
- Longitudinal studies are needed to link brain structure to cognitive trajectories.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between 20-year cognitive decline trajectories and multimodal brain structure in older adults.
- To identify distinct brain-cognition relationships using a data-driven approach.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the Whitehall II Study cohort with 3T brain MRI and 5 cognitive assessments from mid-life to late-life.
- Employed non-negative matrix factorization to identify 10 brain components integrating cortical thickness, surface area, and diffusion measures.
- Analyzed two latent variables representing distinct brain-cognition associations.
Main Results:
- Two latent variables revealed distinct brain-cognition associations over 20 years.
- The first variable linked specific structural components to mid-life cognitive performance, reasoning decline, and fluency maintenance.
- The second variable associated other structural components with mid-life fluency/memory performance and retention of other abilities.
- Latent variable expression predicted future cognitive performance 3.2 years later.
Conclusions:
- This data-driven approach highlights complex brain-cognition relationships in aging.
- Individual differences in cognitive decline and maintenance are associated with cortical structure markers.
- Both positive and negative associations between brain structure and cognitive function were observed.
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