Structural hippocampal network alterations during healthy aging: A multi-modal MRI study
While hippocampal atrophy has been described during healthy aging, few studies have examined its relationship with the integrity of White Matter (WM) connecting tracts of the limbic system. This investigation examined WM structural damage specifically related to hippocampal atrophy in healthy aging...
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doaj-716ce7c88941443685a5dea58dd8bca52020-11-25T00:28:50ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience1663-43652013-12-01510.3389/fnagi.2013.0008466547Structural hippocampal network alterations during healthy aging: A multi-modal MRI studyAmandine ePelletier0Olivier ePeriot1Bixente eDilharreguy2Bassem eHiba3Martine eBordessoules4Karine ePérès5Hélène eAmieva6Jean-François eDartigues7Michèle eAllard8Gwénaëlle eCatheline9INCIA UMR 5287 CNRSINCIA UMR 5287 CNRSINCIA UMR 5287 CNRSRMSB UMR 5536INCIA UMR 5287 CNRSISPED INSERM U 897ISPED INSERM U 897ISPED INSERM U 897INCIA UMR 5287 CNRSINCIA UMR 5287 CNRSWhile hippocampal atrophy has been described during healthy aging, few studies have examined its relationship with the integrity of White Matter (WM) connecting tracts of the limbic system. This investigation examined WM structural damage specifically related to hippocampal atrophy in healthy aging subjects (n=129), using morphological MRI to assess hippocampal volume and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) to assess WM integrity. Subjects with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or dementia were excluded from the analysis. In our sample, increasing age was significantly associated with reduced hippocampal volume and reduced Fractional Anisotropy (FA) at the level of the fornix and the cingulum bundle. The findings also demonstrate that hippocampal atrophy was specifically associated with reduced FA of the fornix bundle, but it was not related to alteration of the cingulum bundle. Our results indicate that the relationship between hippocampal atrophy and fornix FA values is not due to an independent effect of age on both structures. A recursive regression procedure was applied to evaluate sequential relationships between the alterations of these two brain structures. When both hippocampal atrophy and fornix FA values were included in the same model to predict age, fornix FA values remained significant whereas hippocampal atrophy was no longer significantly associated with age. According to this latter finding, hippocampal atrophy in healthy aging could be mediated by a loss of fornix connections. Structural alterations of this part of the limbic system, which have been associated with neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease, result at least in part from the aging process.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnagi.2013.00084/fullLimbic SystemDTIcingulumFornixhealthy aginghippocampal atrophy |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Amandine ePelletier Olivier ePeriot Bixente eDilharreguy Bassem eHiba Martine eBordessoules Karine ePérès Hélène eAmieva Jean-François eDartigues Michèle eAllard Gwénaëlle eCatheline |
spellingShingle |
Amandine ePelletier Olivier ePeriot Bixente eDilharreguy Bassem eHiba Martine eBordessoules Karine ePérès Hélène eAmieva Jean-François eDartigues Michèle eAllard Gwénaëlle eCatheline Structural hippocampal network alterations during healthy aging: A multi-modal MRI study Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience Limbic System DTI cingulum Fornix healthy aging hippocampal atrophy |
author_facet |
Amandine ePelletier Olivier ePeriot Bixente eDilharreguy Bassem eHiba Martine eBordessoules Karine ePérès Hélène eAmieva Jean-François eDartigues Michèle eAllard Gwénaëlle eCatheline |
author_sort |
Amandine ePelletier |
title |
Structural hippocampal network alterations during healthy aging: A multi-modal MRI study |
title_short |
Structural hippocampal network alterations during healthy aging: A multi-modal MRI study |
title_full |
Structural hippocampal network alterations during healthy aging: A multi-modal MRI study |
title_fullStr |
Structural hippocampal network alterations during healthy aging: A multi-modal MRI study |
title_full_unstemmed |
Structural hippocampal network alterations during healthy aging: A multi-modal MRI study |
title_sort |
structural hippocampal network alterations during healthy aging: a multi-modal mri study |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
series |
Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience |
issn |
1663-4365 |
publishDate |
2013-12-01 |
description |
While hippocampal atrophy has been described during healthy aging, few studies have examined its relationship with the integrity of White Matter (WM) connecting tracts of the limbic system. This investigation examined WM structural damage specifically related to hippocampal atrophy in healthy aging subjects (n=129), using morphological MRI to assess hippocampal volume and Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) to assess WM integrity. Subjects with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) or dementia were excluded from the analysis. In our sample, increasing age was significantly associated with reduced hippocampal volume and reduced Fractional Anisotropy (FA) at the level of the fornix and the cingulum bundle. The findings also demonstrate that hippocampal atrophy was specifically associated with reduced FA of the fornix bundle, but it was not related to alteration of the cingulum bundle. Our results indicate that the relationship between hippocampal atrophy and fornix FA values is not due to an independent effect of age on both structures. A recursive regression procedure was applied to evaluate sequential relationships between the alterations of these two brain structures. When both hippocampal atrophy and fornix FA values were included in the same model to predict age, fornix FA values remained significant whereas hippocampal atrophy was no longer significantly associated with age. According to this latter finding, hippocampal atrophy in healthy aging could be mediated by a loss of fornix connections. Structural alterations of this part of the limbic system, which have been associated with neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease, result at least in part from the aging process. |
topic |
Limbic System DTI cingulum Fornix healthy aging hippocampal atrophy |
url |
http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnagi.2013.00084/full |
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