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Choroid plexus aging: structural and vascular insights from the HCP-aging dataset
Zhe Sun1,2, Chenyang Li1,2, Jiangyang Zhang1
1Department of Radiology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, 660 First Ave, Room 405, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
Fluids and Barriers of the CNS
|December 5, 2024
Summary
The choroid plexus (ChP) enlarges and reduces blood flow with age, potentially impacting brain waste clearance and cognitive function. These changes, including increased cyst-like structures, are linked to aging and may affect neurofluid homeostasis.
Area of Science:
- Neuroimaging
- Aging Research
- Cerebrospinal Fluid Dynamics
Background:
- The choroid plexus (ChP) is vital for cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) production and waste clearance, maintaining neurofluid homeostasis and cognitive function.
- ChP enlargement is observed in normal aging and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's disease (AD).
- Limited research exists on age-related changes in ChP perfusion and microstructure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantitatively assess age-related changes in choroid plexus (ChP) perfusion and diffusion using advanced MRI techniques.
- To investigate the relationship between ChP volume, blood flow, and microstructural integrity across the adult lifespan.
- To explore the prevalence and characteristics of cyst-like structures within the ChP in relation to aging.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 641 healthy individuals (36-90 years) from the Human Connectome Project Aging (HCP-A) dataset.
- Derivation of volumetric, perfusion (arterial spin labeling), and diffusion (diffusion-weighted imaging) metrics for the ChP.
- Statistical analyses including partial correlations, independent t-tests, and one-way ANOVA to evaluate age and sex effects, and compare ChP with gray and white matter characteristics.
Main Results:
- Significant age-related increases in ChP volume (r²=0.2), decreases in blood flow (r²=0.17), and elevated mean diffusivity (MD) (r²=0.16) were observed.
- ChP exhibited a more pronounced age-related decline in cerebral blood flow (CBF) compared to gray matter.
- Increased ChP volume negatively correlated with reduced CBF, suggesting compensatory hyperplasia. Cyst-like structures with lower MD and reduced CBF were more common in older individuals.
Conclusions:
- Age significantly alters ChP volume, perfusion, and diffusion characteristics, impacting its role in blood-CSF barrier function.
- These age-related microstructural and perfusion changes in the ChP may contribute to impaired CSF production, waste solute accumulation, and cognitive decline.
- The findings highlight the ChP as a key structure affected by aging, with implications for understanding neurodegenerative processes.
