Hypothalamic MRI-derived microstructure is associated with neurocognitive aging in humans

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Aging Research
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• The hypothalamus regulates homeostasis and aging.
• Aging-related hypothalamic changes, like microinflammation, are linked to neurocognitive decline in mice.
• Human studies on hypothalamic microstructure and aging are limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between hypothalamic microstructure and neurocognitive aging in older adults.
• To explore if hypothalamic microstructure predicts cognitive decline over time.

Main Methods:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) diffusion metrics (mean diffusivity [MD] and fractional anisotropy [FA]) were used to assess hypothalamic microstructure.
• A cohort of 124 community-dwelling older adults (65-97 years) and 99 younger controls (18-63 years) were studied.
• Associations with cortical thickness and cognitive scores were analyzed.

Main Results:

• In older adults, higher hypothalamic MD correlated with age and lower cortical thickness.
• Hypothalamic FA positively correlated with neurocognitive scores, independent of cortical thickness.
• Lower hypothalamic FA suggested potential prediction of cognitive decline in longitudinal analysis.

Conclusions:

• Hypothalamic microstructure is associated with neurocognitive aging features in humans.
• This study provides novel insights into the hypothalamus's role in human cognitive aging.
• Hypothalamic FA may serve as a biomarker for cognitive aging and decline.