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Testing the structural disconnection hypothesis: Myelin content correlates with memory in healthy aging.

Andrea Mendez Colmenares¹, Michael L Thomas², Charles Anderson³

¹The BRAiN lab, Department of Human Development and Family Studies/Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Colorado State University, Behavioral Sciences Building, 303, 410 W Pitkin St, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.

Neurobiology of Aging

|May 29, 2024

Summary

White matter myelin decline is linked to age-related memory loss. Lower myelin water fraction (MWF) in specific brain regions correlates with poorer memory performance in healthy adults.

Keywords:

Aging Cognition Disconnection Executive Functions Memory Myelin Speed Structural Water

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Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Cognitive Aging Research
Neuroimaging

Background:

The structural disconnection hypothesis posits that white matter (WM) deterioration, particularly myelin loss, drives cognitive decline in aging.
In vivo evidence supporting this hypothesis remains inconclusive.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate age-related changes in white matter microstructure.
To examine the association between myelin integrity and cognitive function in healthy aging.

Main Methods:

Utilized Myelin Water Imaging (MWI) and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) in 141 healthy participants (aged 20-79).
Assessed cognitive performance using memory, processing speed, and executive function composites from the Virginia Cognitive Aging Project and NIH Toolbox®.

Main Results:

Lower myelin water fraction (MWF) in prefrontal WM, genu of the corpus callosum, and posterior limb of the internal capsule was associated with reduced memory performance.
Structural equation modeling revealed that MWF in prefrontal WM and genu of the corpus callosum significantly mediated the effect of age on memory.
Fractional anisotropy (FA) did not show a similar mediating effect.

Conclusions:

Findings support the disconnection hypothesis of cognitive aging.
Myelin decline is a significant contributor to age-related memory decline.
These results highlight potential therapeutic targets for interventions aimed at preserving myelin health.