Voxel-based mapping of brain gray matter volume and glucose metabolism profiles in normal aging

• Published in: Neurobiology of aging Vol. 30; no. 1; pp. 112 - 124
• Main Authors: Kalpouzos, Grégoria, Chételat, Gaël, Baron, Jean-Claude, Landeau, Brigitte, Mevel, Katell, Godeau, Christine, Barré, Louisa, Constans, Jean-Marc, Viader, Fausto, Eustache, Francis, Desgranges, Béatrice
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Inc 01.01.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aging; Aging - metabolism; Aging - pathology; Biological and medical sciences; Brain - diagnostic imaging; Brain - metabolism; Development. Senescence. Regeneration. Transplantation; Female; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 - pharmacokinetics; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Humans; Internal Medicine; Male; Metabolic Clearance Rate; Middle Aged; Neurology; Neurons - diagnostic imaging; Neurons - metabolism; Neurons - pathology; Organ Size; Partial volume effects; Positron emission tomography; Radionuclide Imaging; Radiopharmaceuticals - pharmacokinetics; Structural magnetic resonance imaging; Tissue Distribution; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Voxel-based morphometry; Young Adult; Aging; Positron emission tomography; Structural magnetic resonance imaging; Voxel-based morphometry; Partial volume effects; Senescence; Central nervous system; Glucose; Metabolism; Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging; Encephalon; Morphometry; Emission tomography
• ISSN: 0197-4580; 1558-1497
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2007.05.019

Abstract With age, the brain undergoes both structural and functional alterations, probably resulting in reported cognitive declines. Relatively few investigations have sought to identify those areas that remain intact with aging, or undergo the least deterioration, which might underlie cognitive preservations. Our aim here was to establish a comprehensive profile of both structural and functional changes in the aging brain, using up-to-date voxel-based methodology (i.e. optimized voxel-based morphometry (VBM) procedure; resting-state18 FDG-PET with correction for partial volume effects (PVE)) in 45 optimally healthy subjects aged 20–83 years. Negative and positive correlations between age and both gray matter (GM) volume and18 FDG uptake were assessed. The frontal cortex manifested the greatest deterioration, both structurally and functionally, whereas the anterior hippocampus, the thalamus and (functionally) the posterior cingulate cortex were the least affected. Our results support the developmental theory which postulates that the first regions to emerge phylogenetically and ontogenetically are the most resistant to age effects, and the last ones the most vulnerable. Furthermore, the lesser affected anterior hippocampal region, together with the lesser functional alteration of the posterior cingulate cortex, appear to mark the parting of the ways between normal aging and Alzheimer's disease, which is characterized by early and prominent deterioration of both structures.