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Normal human aging: factors contributing to cerebral atrophy
H Akiyama1, J S Meyer, K F Mortel
1Cerebrovascular Research Laboratories, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Journal of the Neurological Sciences
|December 12, 1997
Summary
Accelerated brain aging, marked by atrophy and reduced perfusion, is linked to risk factors like hypertension and smoking. Managing these factors may help preserve cognitive function in aging individuals.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Radiology
Background:
- Age-related cerebral atrophy and degenerative changes can lead to cognitive decline.
- Identifying factors that accelerate these changes is crucial for understanding and potentially mitigating cognitive impairment in aging populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify characteristic patterns of normal aging.
- To correlate risk factors with neurological, neuropsychological, and neuroimaging measures of cerebral atrophy and perfusion decline.
Main Methods:
- Utilized cross-sectional and longitudinal designs.
- Followed 94 cognitively normal aging volunteers and 15 with a history of transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) for a mean of 3.0 years.
- Correlated risk factors with serial neurological-neuropsychological examinations and CT measures of cerebral atrophy and perfusion.
Main Results:
- After age 60, cerebral atrophy and leukoaraiosis doubled, and cerebral perfusion decreased, with significant individual variability.
- Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs), hypertension, smoking, hyperlipidemia, excessive alcohol consumption, and male gender independently accelerated cerebral atrophy and perfusion declines.
- Progressive leukoaraiosis correlated with cortical atrophy and perfusion declines.
Conclusions:
- Cerebral atrophy and degenerative changes are accelerated by TIAs, hypertension, smoking, hyperlipidemia, alcohol, and male gender, likely due to neuronal shrinkage/loss.
- Accelerated neuroimaging changes serve as markers for depleted neuronal synaptic reserves, predisposing to cognitive decline.
- Interventions targeting modifiable risk factors like hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking, and alcohol consumption are recommended.