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White matter hyperintensity load is associated with premature brain aging.
Natalie Busby1, Sarah Newman-Norlund1, Sara Sayers1
1Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29201, USA.
Aging
|December 1, 2022
Summary
White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are independently associated with premature brain aging. This indicates that white matter disease impacts brain integrity and accelerates age-related brain atrophy.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Gerontology
- Neurology
Background:
- Brain age, an MRI-derived metric, reflects age-related brain tissue loss.
- White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are markers of small vessel disease and brain compromise.
- This study investigates the independent association between WMHs and premature brain aging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are independently associated with premature brain aging.
- To quantify the relationship between WMH load and brain age gap (BrainGAP).
Main Methods:
- Brain age was calculated using machine learning on T1-weighted MRI scans.
- WMHs were manually delineated on FLAIR images to determine WMH load.
- Partial correlations assessed the relationship between BrainGAP and WMH load, controlling for chronological age.
Main Results:
- Brain age and chronological age were strongly correlated (r=0.932).
- Premature brain aging (higher BrainGAP) was negatively correlated with chronological age (r=-0.244).
- WMH load was positively correlated with chronological age (r=0.506) and independently associated with premature brain aging (r=0.216, p=0.003) after controlling for age.
Conclusions:
- White matter hyperintensities (WMHs) are an independent factor contributing to premature brain aging.
- This highlights the impact of white matter disease on global brain integrity.
- WMHs are associated with accelerated, age-like brain atrophy.
