Brain network architecture constrains age-related cortical thinning

Area of Science:

• Neuroimaging
• Neuroscience
• Brain Anatomy

Background:

• Age-related cortical atrophy, measured by cortical thickness, follows a predictable pattern.
• The underlying causes of cortical atrophy are not fully understood.
• Brain network connectivity (structural and functional) shows links to cortical atrophy in various conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between age-related changes in cortical thickness and the topology of structural and functional brain networks.
• To understand how brain network organization influences age-related cortical thinning.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional multimodal neuroimaging analysis.
• Examined 2633 individuals from a population-based cohort.
• Correlated cortical thickness differences with functional and structural brain network properties.

Main Results:

• Identified widespread age-related cortical thickness differences, with "hotspots" in sensorimotor areas.
• Regional age-related differences in thickness correlated with structural network neighborhoods.
• The pattern of thickness differences aligned with functional network hierarchy (macroscale gradients).
• Observed significant associations between the pattern of differences and cognitive/motor performance.

Conclusions:

• Connectivity profiles of functional and structural brain networks are key organizing principles of age-related cortical thinning.
• Cortical thinning, as an imaging surrogate of atrophy, is structured by brain network topology.
• These findings link brain network organization to cognitive and motor aging.