Work

Disparities in structural brain imaging in older adults from rural communities in Southern Nevada

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Introduction: Identifying the associations between rural-living or neighborhood disadvantage and neurobiology may clarify rural-urban disparities in older adults with cognitive impairment related to Alzheimer's disease. Methods: We examined rural-urban differences and neighborhood disadvantages in brain cortical thickness (CT) measures among 71 rural and 87 urban-dwelling older adults. Analysis of covariance was used to test each FreeSurfer-derived CT measures' associations with rural-urban living, clinical impairment status, and their interactions. Post-hoc linear regressions were used to test the association between CT measures and neighborhood disadvantage index. Results: Rural-dwelling older adults had thinner cortices in temporal and inferior frontal regions compared to urban participants, especially among clinically normal participants, where the thinner temporal cortex further correlated with higher neighborhood disadvantage. Conversely, rural participants had thicker cortices in superior frontal, parietal and occipital regions. Discussion: Our results suggest a complex interplay between community contexts and neurobiology. For memory-related regions, rural-living and neighborhood disadvantage might be negatively associated with subjects' brain structures.

Source: Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2024.1465744

Authors: Xiaowei Zhuang, Dietmar Cordes, Jessica Z. K. Caldwell, Andrew R. Bender, Justin B. Miller

Institutions: Cleveland Clinic, University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Lou Ruvo Brain Institute, University of Colorado Boulder

Language: English

Topic: Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research

Subfield: Psychiatry and Mental health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Good health and well-being, Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,295