Linear and curvilinear correlations of brain white matter volume, fractional anisotropy, and mean diffusivity with age using voxel-based and region-of-interest analyses in 246 healthy children

Human brain white matter undergoes a protracted maturation that continues well into adulthood. Recent advances in diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) methods allow detailed characterizations of the microstructural architecture of white matter, and they are increasingly utilized to study white matter changes during development and aging. However, relatively little is known about the late maturational changes in the microstructural architecture of white matter during post-adolescence. Here we report on regional changes in white matter volume and microstructure in young adults undergoing university-level education. As part of the MRi-Share multi-modal brain MRI database, multi-shell, high angular resolution DWI data were acquired in a unique sample of 1,713 university students aged 18–26. We assessed the age and sex dependence of diffusion metrics derived from diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) in the white matter regions as defined in the John Hopkins University (JHU) white matter labels atlas. We demonstrate that while regional white matter volume is relatively stable over the age range of our sample, the white matter microstructural properties show clear age-related variations. Globally, it is characterized by a robust increase in neurite density index (NDI), and to a lesser extent, orientation dispersion index (ODI). These changes are accompanied by a decrease in diffusivity. In contrast, there is minimal age-related variation in fractional anisotropy. There are regional variations in these microstructural changes: some tracts, most notably cingulum bundles, show a strong age-related increase in NDI coupled with decreases in radial and mean diffusivity, while others, mainly cortico-spinal projection tracts, primarily show an ODI increase and axial diffusivity decrease. These age-related variations are not different between males and females, but males show higher NDI and ODI and lower diffusivity than females across many tracts. These findings emphasize the complexity of changes in white matter structure occurring in this critical period of late maturation in early adulthood.

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A Correlational Study between Microstructural White Matter Properties and Macrostructural Gray Matter Volume Across Normal Ageing: Conjoint DTI and VBM Analysis

Magnetic Resonance Insights ◽

10.1177/1178623x18799926 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

pp. 1178623X1879992 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Vikas Pareek ◽

VP Subramanyam Rallabandi ◽

Prasun K Roy

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Life Span ◽

Fractional Anisotropy ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Healthy Aging ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

Radial Diffusivity ◽

Axial Diffusivity ◽

Matter Volume

We investigate the relationship between Gray matter’s volume vis-a-vis White matter’s integrity indices, such Axial diffusivity, Radial diffusivity, Mean diffusivity, and Fractional anisotropy, in individuals undergoing healthy aging. We investigated MRI scans of 177 adults across 20 to 85 years. We used Voxel-based morphometry, and FDT-FSL analysis for estimation of Gray matter volume and White matter’s diffusion indices respectively. Across the life span, we observed an inter-relationship between the Gray matter and White matter, namely that both Axial diffusivity and Mean Diffusivity show strong correlation with Gray matter volume, along the aging process. Furthermore, across all ages the Fractional anisotropy and Mean diffusivity are found to be significantly reduced in females when compared to males, but there are no significant gender differences in Axial Diffusivity and Radial diffusivity. We conclude that for both genders across all ages, the Gray matter’s Volume is strongly correlated with White matter’s Axial Diffusivity and Mean Diffusivity, while being weakly correlated with Fractional Anisotropy. Our study clarifies the multi-scale relationship in brain tissue, by elucidating how the White matter’s micro-structural parameters influences the Gray matter’s macro-structural characteristics, during healthy aging across the life-span.

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Are Anesthesia and Surgery during Infancy Associated with Decreased White Matter Integrity and Volume during Childhood?

Anesthesiology ◽

10.1097/aln.0000000000001808 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 127 (5) ◽

pp. 788-799 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Robert I. Block ◽

Vincent A. Magnotta ◽

Emine O. Bayman ◽

James Y. Choi ◽

Joss J. Thomas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

White Matter Integrity ◽

Cerebral Peduncle ◽

Intracranial Volume ◽

Healthy Children ◽

Superior Cerebellar Peduncle ◽

Control Subjects ◽

Brain White Matter ◽

Cerebellar Peduncle

AbstractBackgroundAnesthetics have neurotoxic effects in neonatal animals. Relevant human evidence is limited. We sought such evidence in a structural neuroimaging study.MethodsTwo groups of children underwent structural magnetic resonance imaging: patients who, during infancy, had one of four operations commonly performed in otherwise healthy children and comparable, nonexposed control subjects. Total and regional brain tissue composition and volume, as well as regional indicators of white matter integrity (fractional anisotropy and mean diffusivity), were analyzed.ResultsAnalyses included 17 patients, without potential confounding central nervous system problems or risk factors, who had general anesthesia and surgery during infancy and 17 control subjects (age ranges, 12.3 to 15.2 yr and 12.6 to 15.1 yr, respectively). Whole brain white matter volume, as a percentage of total intracranial volume, was lower for the exposed than the nonexposed group, 37.3 ± 0.4% and 38.9 ± 0.4% (least squares mean ± SE), respectively, a difference of 1.5 percentage points (95% CI, 0.3 to 2.8; P = 0.016). Corresponding decreases were statistically significant for parietal and occipital lobes, infratentorium, and brainstem separately. White matter integrity was lower for the exposed than the nonexposed group in superior cerebellar peduncle, cerebral peduncle, external capsule, cingulum (cingulate gyrus), and fornix (cres) and/or stria terminalis. The groups did not differ in total intracranial, gray matter, and cerebrospinal fluid volumes.ConclusionsChildren who had anesthesia and surgery during infancy showed broadly distributed, decreased white matter integrity and volume. Although the findings may be related to anesthesia and surgery during infancy, other explanations are possible.

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P2-062: Are cerebrospinal fluid levels of neurogranin associated with hippocampal atrophy and brain white matter volume decrease?

Alzheimer s & Dementia ◽

10.1016/j.jalz.2015.06.599 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 11 (7S_Part_11) ◽

pp. P506-P507

Author(s):

Simone Lista ◽

Enrica Cavedo ◽

Henrik Zetterberg ◽

Bruno Dubois ◽

Stéphane Epelbaum ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cerebrospinal Fluid ◽

White Matter ◽

Hippocampal Atrophy ◽

White Matter Volume ◽

Cerebrospinal Fluid Levels ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Brain White Matter ◽

Fluid Levels ◽

Volume Decrease

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Predicting sleep quality from brain white matter volume: A voxel-based morphometry study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-747264/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Youling Bai ◽

Li Zhang ◽

Chengwei Liu ◽

Xiaobing Cui ◽

Li Dan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Sleep Quality ◽

Quality Data ◽

Precentral Gyrus ◽

Voxel Based Morphometry ◽

White Matter Volume ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Brain White Matter ◽

The Right ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Most previous studies have explored the relationship between gray matter volume and sleep quality, but little is known about the relationship between white matter volume and sleep quality. Data were collected using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and voxel-based morphometry among 352 healthy college students. Results showed that the global PSQI score was negatively associated with the white matter volume, including in the right middle occipital gyrus, the left superior temporal gyrus, the right the precentral gyrus, the left supramarginal gyrus, the left middle frontal gyrus, the left precunes, and the right superior frontal gyrus. Results also indicated that the white matter volume in specific regions negatively predicted the factor of PSQI. These specific brain regions may be replicated in brain areas related to sleep quality. In summary, we suggested that an investigation of white matter structural alterations in the specific regions might be beneficial to tackle underlying neurological mechanisms of sleep quality.

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Voxel-based analysis derived from fractional anisotropy images of white matter volume changes with aging

NeuroImage ◽

10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.03.021 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 41 (3) ◽

pp. 657-667 ◽

Cited By ~ 73

Author(s):

Elisabetta Pagani ◽

Federica Agosta ◽

Maria A. Rocca ◽

Domenico Caputo ◽

Massimo Filippi

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Fractional Anisotropy ◽

White Matter Volume ◽

Volume Changes ◽

Matter Volume

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Investigation of Whole-Brain White Matter Identifies Altered Water Mobility in the Pathogenesis of High-Altitude Headache

Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism ◽

10.1038/jcbfm.2013.83 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 33 (8) ◽

pp. 1286-1294 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Justin S Lawley ◽

Samuel J Oliver ◽

Paul G Mullins ◽

Jamie H Macdonald

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

High Altitude ◽

Brain Edema ◽

Fractional Anisotropy ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

Cerebral White Matter ◽

Water Mobility ◽

Whole Brain ◽

Brain White Matter ◽

Brain Water

Elevated brain water is a common finding in individuals with severe forms of altitude illness. However, the location, nature, and a causative link between brain edema and symptoms of acute mountain sickness such as headache remains unknown. We examined indices of brain white matter water mobility in 13 participants after 2 and 10 hours in normoxia (21% O2) and hypoxia (12% O2) using magnetic resonance imaging. Using a whole-brain analysis (tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS)), mean diffusivity was reduced in the left posterior hemisphere after 2 hours and globally reduced throughout cerebral white matter by 10 hours in hypoxia. However, no changes in T2 relaxation time (T2) or fractional anisotropy were observed. The TBSS identified an association between changes in mean diffusivity, fractional anisotropy, and T2 both supra and subtentorially after 2 and 10 hours, with headache score after 10 hours in hypoxia. Region of interest-based analyses generally confirmed these results. These data indicate that acute periods of hypoxemia cause a shift of water into the intracellular space within the cerebral white matter, whereas no evidence of brain edema (a volumetric enlargement) is identifiable. Furthermore, these changes in brain water mobility are related to the intensity of high-altitude headache.

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P2-247: Effects of cholinesterase inhibition on brain white matter volume in mild Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer s & Dementia ◽

10.1016/j.jalz.2009.04.560 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 5 (4S_Part_11) ◽

pp. P332-P333 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Annalena Venneri ◽

Roger Lane

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

White Matter ◽

Cholinesterase Inhibition ◽

White Matter Volume ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Brain White Matter

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Structural and functional brain changes following four weeks of unimanual motor training: evidence from fMRI-guided diffusion MRI tractography

10.1101/088328 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Lee B Reid ◽

Martin V Sale ◽

Ross Cunnington ◽

Jason B Mattingley ◽

Stephen E Rose

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Caudate Nucleus ◽

Fractional Anisotropy ◽

Diffusion Mri ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

Region Of Interest ◽

Motor Training ◽

Left Hand ◽

Dorsolateral Prefrontal ◽

The Right

AbstractWe have reported reliable changes in behaviour, brain structure and function in 24 healthy right-handed adults who practiced a finger-thumb opposition sequence task with their left hand for 10 mins daily, over four weeks. Here we extend these findings by employing diffusion MRI to investigate white-matter changes in the corticospinal tract, basal-ganglia, and connections of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Twenty-three participant datasets were available with pre-training and post-training scans. Task performance improved in all participants (mean: 52.8%, SD: 20.0%; group p<0.01 FWE) and widespread microstructural changes were detected across the motor system of the ‘trained’ hemisphere. Specifically, region-of-interest based analyses of diffusion MRI (n=21) revealed significantly increased fractional anisotropy in the right caudate nucleus (4.9%; p<0.05 FWE), and decreased mean diffusivity in the left nucleus accumbens (-1.3%; p<0.05 FWE). Diffusion MRI tractography (n=22), seeded by sensorimotor cortex fMRI activation, also revealed increased fractional anisotropy in the right corticomotor tract (mean 3.28%; p<0.05 FWE) predominantly reflecting decreased radial diffusivity. These changes were consistent throughout the entire length of the tract. The left corticomotor tract did not show any changes. FA also increased in white matter connections between the right middle frontal gyrus and both right caudate nucleus (17/22 participants; p<0.05 FWE) and right supplementary motor area (18/22 participants; p<0.05 FWE). Equivalent changes in FA were not seen in the left (‘non-trained’) hemisphere. In combination with our functional and structural findings, this study provides detailed, multifocal evidence for widespread neuroplastic changes in the human brain resulting from motor training.

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