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Neuroimaging of the aging brain
1Department of Radiology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, Texas 77555-0709, USA.
Neurologic Clinics
|July 17, 1998
Summary
White matter changes, including hyperintensities, are common with aging and associated with hypertension. This review covers imaging of healthy aging versus neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Radiology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Age-related white matter injury is increasingly recognized due to advanced brain imaging.
- Aging involves arteriosclerosis and venous collagenosis, leading to white matter changes.
- These changes correlate with hypertension and silent infarctions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To discuss the imaging appearance of healthy aging.
- To explore pathological correlates of age-related white matter alterations.
- To highlight imaging findings in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
Main Methods:
- Review of neuroimaging findings, particularly T2-weighted MRI.
- Discussion of pathological correlates of white matter changes.
- Comparison of imaging in healthy aging versus neurodegenerative conditions.
Main Results:
- White matter changes range from periventricular to deep hyperintensities.
- Normal aging includes brain volume loss and iron accumulation in the putamen.
- Similar imaging findings can be seen in healthy aging and pathological conditions.
Conclusions:
- Understanding imaging in healthy aging is crucial for differentiating from neurodegenerative diseases.
- Arteriosclerosis and venous collagenosis contribute to age-related white matter changes.
- Imaging plays a key role in diagnosing and managing age-related brain alterations.