Voxel-Based Morphometry Reveals a Correlation Between Bone Mineral Density Loss and Reduced Cortical Gray Matter Volume in Alzheimer’s Disease

• Published in: Frontiers in aging neuroscience Vol. 12; p. 178
• Main Authors: Takano, Yumi, Tatewaki, Yasuko, Mutoh, Tatsushi, Morota, Naoya, Matsudaira, Izumi, Thyreau, Benjamin, Nagasaka, Tatsuo, Odagiri, Hayato, Yamamoto, Shuzo, Arai, Hiroyuki, Taki, Yasuyuki
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lausanne Frontiers Research Foundation 17.06.2020; Frontiers Media S.A
• Subjects: Age; Alzheimer's disease; Automation; Biomarkers; Bone density; Bone loss; Bone mineral density; Brain; Cognitive ability; Cortex (parietal); Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry; Geriatrics; Magnetic resonance imaging; Medical imaging; Memory; Morphometry; MRI; Multiple regression analysis; Musculoskeletal system; Nervous system; Neural networks; Neurodegenerative diseases; Neuroscience; Older people; Osteoporosis; Parahippocampal gyrus; Regression analysis; Substantia grisea; Topography; voxel-based morphometry; United States > US
• ISSN: 1663-4365; 1663-4365
• DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00178

Background: Decreased bone mineral density (BMD) was associated with poorer cognitive function and increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, objective evidence for the relationship between osteoporosis and AD in humans has not been extensively described. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate the relationships between BMD and the cortical volumes of brain regions vulnerable to AD; hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, precuneus, posterior cingulate, and angular gyrus, using voxel-based morphometry, in order to investigate the association between bone loss and AD. Methods: A cohort of 149 consecutive elderly participants who complained of memory disturbance underwent high-resolution structural brain MRI and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. We used SPM12 software to conduct a voxel-based multiple regression analysis to examine the association between femoral neck BMD values and regional grey matter volume (rGMV) on structural T1-weighted MRI. Results: After adjusting for subject age, gender, total brain volume, and mini-mental state examination scores, the multiple regression analysis showed significant correlations between BMD loss and rGMV decline in the left precuneus, which is an important neural network hub vulnerable to AD. Conclusion: These data suggest that the bone and brain communicate with each other, as in “bone-brain crosstalk”, and that control of BMD factors could contribute to cognitive function and help prevent AD.