Work

Aging of gray matter microstructure: A brain-wide characterization of age group differences using NODDI

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study aimed to provide a complete characterization of age group differences in cortical lobar, hippocampal, and subcortical gray matter microstructure using a multi-compartment diffusion-weighted MRI (DWI) approach with parameters optimized for gray matter (Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging, NODDI). Results revealed that cortical gray matter had predominantly higher free diffusion in older than younger adults that remained after controlling for normalized volume, suggesting that this finding is not driven by macrostructural atrophy. The hippocampus (and amygdala) had predominantly higher dispersion of diffusion and intracellular diffusion in older than younger adults, consistent with animal studies of neuroinflammation. Conversely, the putamen and globus pallidus had lower dispersion of diffusion in older than younger adults that remained after controlling for iron content (QSM, R2*), likely due to the diffusion signal being attenuated at the time of acquisition in these iron-rich regions. These unique patterns in the direction and magnitude of age effects across NODDI metrics provide evidence of region-specific neurobiological substrates of aging of gray matter microstructure.

Source: Neurobiology of Aging

DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2025.02.004

Authors: Danielle Greenman, Ilana J. Bennett

Institution: University of California, Riverside

Language: English

Topic: Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques and Applications

Subfield: Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,430