Integrating Neuroimaging Measures in Nursing Research

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Neuroscience
• Nursing Research

Background:

• Global medical advances have increased lifespan, leading to an aging population at higher risk for cognitive decline.
• Current nursing research has limited use of neuroimaging measures for evaluating cognitive changes.
• This review aims to familiarize nurse scientists with neuroimaging techniques for assessing brain-cognition relationships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce nurse scientists to various neuroimaging measures.
• To highlight the utility of neuroimaging in understanding cognitive changes associated with aging.
• To encourage the integration of neuroimaging into nursing research methodologies.

Main Methods:

• A literature search was conducted across CINAHL, Web of Science, and PubMed.
• Keywords included "neuroimaging measures," "aging," "cognition," "qualitative scoring," "cognitive ability," "molecular," "structural," and "functional."
• The review synthesizes information on different neuroimaging approaches.

Main Results:

• Neuroimaging measures are categorized into structural, functional, and molecular imaging.
• Structural imaging visualizes brain anatomy (e.g., white matter hyperintensities, cerebral atrophy).
• Functional imaging assesses brain activity via blood-oxygen-dependent signals, while molecular imaging visualizes cellular/molecular processes (e.g., neurotransmitter levels).

Conclusions:

• Nursing plays a crucial role in addressing factors influencing health outcomes in aging individuals with cognitive decline.
• Nurse researchers can leverage existing neuroimaging data for qualitative and quantitative studies.
• Utilizing neuroimaging can enhance the characterization of symptom progression, disease risk, and health outcomes in aging populations.