Diurnal Preference and Grey Matter Volume in a Large Population of Older Adults: Data from the UK Biobank

AbstractObjectiveTo explore how different diets may affect human brain development and if genetic and environmental factors play a part.DesignCohort study.SettingUK Biobank data were collected from 22 centres across the UK.ParticipantsOnly white British individuals free of Alzheimer’s or dementia diseases were included in the study, where 336517 participants had quality-controlled genetic data, and 18879 participants had qualified brain MRI data.Main outcome measuresGrey matter volume, intake of cereal and coffee, body mass index and blood cholesterol level.ResultsWe investigated diet effects in the UK Biobank data and discovered anti-correlated brain-wide grey matter volume (GMV)-association patterns between coffee and cereal intake, coincidence with their anti-correlated genetic constructs. These genetic factors may further affect people’s lifestyle habits and body/blood fat levels through the mediation of cereal/coffee intake, and the brain-wide expression pattern of gene CPLX3, a dedicated marker of subplate neurons that regulate cortical development and plasticity, may underlie the shared GMV-association patterns among the coffee/cereal intake and cognitive functions.ConclusionsOur findings revealed that high-cereal and low-coffee diets shared similar brain and genetic constructs, leading to long-term beneficial associations regarding cognitive, BMI and other metabolic measures. This study has important implications for public health, especially during the pandemic, given the poorer outcomes of COVID-19 patients with greater BMIs.

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Multi-modal neuroimaging of dual-task walking: Structural MRI and fNIRS analysis reveals prefrontal grey matter volume moderation of brain activation in older adults

NeuroImage ◽

10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.01.045 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 189 ◽

pp. 745-754 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Mark E. Wagshul ◽

Melanie Lucas ◽

Kenny Ye ◽

Meltem Izzetoglu ◽

Roee Holtzer

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Dual Task ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Brain Activation ◽

Structural Mri ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Matter Volume

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Morphometric network differences in ageing versus Alzheimer’s disease dementia

Brain ◽

10.1093/brain/awz414 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 143 (2) ◽

pp. 635-649 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Alexa Pichet Binette ◽

Julie Gonneaud ◽

Jacob W Vogel ◽

Renaud La Joie ◽

Pedro Rosa-Neto ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Alzheimer’S Disease ◽

Older Adults ◽

Alzheimer's Disease ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Whole Brain ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Brain Ageing ◽

Brain Pattern ◽

Age Range

Abstract Age being the main risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, it is particularly challenging to disentangle structural changes related to normal brain ageing from those specific to Alzheimer’s disease. Most studies aiming to make this distinction focused on older adults only and on a priori anatomical regions. Drawing on a large, multi-cohort dataset ranging from young adults (n = 468; age range 18–35 years), to older adults with intact cognition (n = 431; age range 55–90 years) and with Alzheimer’s disease (n = 50 with late mild cognitive impairment and 71 with Alzheimer’s dementia, age range 56–88 years), we investigated grey matter organization and volume differences in ageing and Alzheimer’s disease. Using independent component analysis on all participants’ structural MRI, we first derived morphometric networks and extracted grey matter volume in each network. We also derived a measure of whole-brain grey matter pattern organization by correlating grey matter volume in all networks across all participants from the same cohort. We used logistic regressions and receiver operating characteristic analyses to evaluate how well grey matter volume in each network and whole-brain pattern could discriminate between ageing and Alzheimer’s disease. Because increased heterogeneity is often reported as one of the main features characterizing brain ageing, we also evaluated interindividual heterogeneity within morphometric networks and across the whole-brain organization in ageing and Alzheimer’s disease. Finally, to investigate the clinical validity of the different grey matter features, we evaluated whether grey matter volume or whole-brain pattern was related to clinical progression in cognitively normal older adults. Ageing and Alzheimer’s disease contributed additive effects on grey matter volume in nearly all networks, except frontal lobe networks, where differences in grey matter were more specific to ageing. While no networks specifically discriminated Alzheimer’s disease from ageing, heterogeneity in grey matter volumes across morphometric networks and in the whole-brain grey matter pattern characterized individuals with cognitive impairments. Preservation of the whole-brain grey matter pattern was also related to lower risk of developing cognitive impairment, more so than grey matter volume. These results suggest both ageing and Alzheimer’s disease involve widespread atrophy, but that the clinical expression of Alzheimer’s disease is uniquely associated with disruption of morphometric organization.

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Motor learning decline with age is related to differences in the explicit memory system

10.1101/353870 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Noham Wolpe ◽

James N. Ingram ◽

Kamen A. Tsvetanov ◽

Richard N. Henson ◽

Rogier A. Kievit ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Motor Learning ◽

Motor Skills ◽

Explicit Memory ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Memory Performance ◽

Motor Adaptation ◽

Memory System ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Matter Volume

ABSTRACTThe ability to adapt one’s movements to changes in the environment is fundamental in everyday life, but this ability changes across the lifespan. Although often regarded as an ‘implicit’ process, recent research has also linked motor adaptation with ‘explicit’ learning processes. To understand how these processes contribute to differences in motor adaptation with age, we combined a visuomotor learning paradigm with cognitive tasks that measure implicit and explicit processes, and structural brain imaging. In a large population-based cohort from the Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience (n=322, aged 18-89 years) we first confirmed that the degree of adaptation to an angular perturbation of visual feedback declined with age. There were no associations between adaptation and sensory attenuation, which has been previously hypothesised to contribute to implicit motor learning. However, interactions between age and scores on two independent memory tasks showed that explicit memory performance was a progressively stronger determinant of motor learning with age. Similarly, interactions between age and grey matter volume in the medial temporal lobe, amygdala and hippocampus showed that grey matter volume in these regions became a stronger determinant of adaptation in older adults. The convergent behavioural and structural imaging results suggest that age-related differences in the explicit memory system is a contributor to the decline in motor adaptation in older age. These results may reflect the more general compensatory reliance on cognitive strategies to maintain motor performance with age.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe central nervous system has a remarkable capacity to learn new motor skills and adapt to new environmental dynamics. This capacity is impaired with age, and in many brain disorders. We find that explicit memory performance and its associated medial temporal brain regions deteriorate with age, but the association between this brain system and individual differences in motor learning becomes stronger in older adults. We propose that these results reflect an increased reliance on cognition in order to maintain adaptive motor skill performance. This difference in learning strategy has implications for interventions to improve motor skills in older adults.

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Associations of Diet Quality with Midlife Brain Volume: Findings from the UK Biobank Cohort Study

Journal of Alzheimer s Disease ◽

10.3233/jad-210705 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

Helen Macpherson ◽

Sarah A. McNaughton ◽

Karen E. Lamb ◽

Catherine M. Milte

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Diet ◽

Diet Quality ◽

Brain Structure ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Brain Volume ◽

Life Stage ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Uk Biobank ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Diet Score

Background: Higher quality diets may be related to lower dementia rates. Midlife is emerging as a critical life stage for a number of dementia risk factors. Objective: This study examines whether diet quality is related to brain structure during midlife, and if this differs by sex. Methods: This study used data from 19184 UK Biobank participants aged 40–65 years. Diet quality was assessed using three dietary indices including the Mediterranean Diet Score (MDS), Healthy Diet Score (HDS), and Recommended Food Score (RFS). MRI brain measures included total, grey, white and hippocampal volume. Linear regression examined associations between diet quality and brain volume, controlling for potential confounders. Results: Better quality diet across all indices was significantly related to larger grey matter volume: MDS β= 429.7 (95%CI: 65.2, 794.2); HDS β= 700.1 (348.0, 1052.1); and RFS β= 317.1 (106.8, 527.3). Higher diet scores were associated with greater total volume: HDS β= 879.32 (286.13, 1472.50); RFS β= 563.37 (209.10, 917.65); and white matter volume: RFS β= 246.31 (20.56, 472.05), with the exception of Mediterranean diet adherence. Healthy eating guidelines and dietary variety associations with total and grey matter volume were more prominent in men. Conclusion: Findings suggest that diet quality is associated with brain structure during midlife, potentially decades prior to the onset of dementia.

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Tai Chi Chuan and Baduanjin Increase Grey Matter Volume in Older Adults: A Brain Imaging Study

Journal of Alzheimer s Disease ◽

10.3233/jad-170477 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 60 (2) ◽

pp. 389-400 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Jing Tao ◽

Jiao Liu ◽

Weilin Liu ◽

Jia Huang ◽

Xiehua Xue ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Brain Imaging ◽

Tai Chi ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Imaging Study ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Tai Chi Chuan ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Brain Imaging Study

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The neural determinants of age-related changes in fluid intelligence: a pre-registered, longitudinal analysis in UK Biobank

Wellcome Open Research ◽

10.12688/wellcomeopenres.14241.1 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 ◽

pp. 38 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Rogier A. Kievit ◽

Delia Fuhrmann ◽

Gesa Sophia Borgeest ◽

Ivan L. Simpson-Kent ◽

Richard N. A. Henson

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

White Matter ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Fluid Intelligence ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Uk Biobank ◽

Matter Volume ◽

White Matter Microstructure ◽

The Mean ◽

Intelligence Scores

Background: Fluid intelligence declines with advancing age, starting in early adulthood. Within-subject declines in fluid intelligence are highly correlated with contemporaneous declines in the ability to live and function independently. To support healthy aging, the mechanisms underlying these declines need to be better understood. Methods: In this pre-registered analysis, we applied latent growth curve modelling to investigate the neural determinants of longitudinal changes in fluid intelligence across three time points in 185,317 individuals (N=9,719 two waves, N=870 three waves) from the UK Biobank (age range: 39-73 years). Results: We found a weak but significant effect of cross-sectional age on the mean fluid intelligence score, such that older individuals scored slightly lower. However, the mean longitudinal slope was positive, rather than negative, suggesting improvement across testing occasions. Despite the considerable sample size, the slope variance was non-significant, suggesting no reliable individual differences in change over time. This null-result is likely due to the nature of the cognitive test used. In a subset of individuals, we found that white matter microstructure (N=8839, as indexed by fractional anisotropy) and grey-matter volume (N=9931) in pre-defined regions-of-interest accounted for complementary and unique variance in mean fluid intelligence scores. The strongest effects were such that higher grey matter volume in the frontal pole and greater white matter microstructure in the posterior thalamic radiations were associated with higher fluid intelligence scores. Conclusions: In a large preregistered analysis, we demonstrate a weak but significant negative association between age and fluid intelligence. However, we did not observe plausible longitudinal patterns, instead observing a weak increase across testing occasions, and no significant individual differences in rates of change, likely due to the suboptimal task design. Finally, we find support for our preregistered expectation that white- and grey matter make separate contributions to individual differences in fluid intelligence beyond age.

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Antemortem volume loss mirrors TDP-43 staging in older adults with non-frontotemporal lobar degeneration

Brain ◽

10.1093/brain/awz277 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 142 (11) ◽

pp. 3621-3635 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Alexandre Bejanin ◽

Melissa E Murray ◽

Peter Martin ◽

Hugo Botha ◽

Nirubol Tosakulwong ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Regional Distribution ◽

Specific Effect ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Volume Loss ◽

Independent Contribution ◽

Matter Volume ◽

Shed Light

The specific effect of TDP-43 pathology on grey matter volume in individuals without frontotemporal lobar degeneration is unclear. Bejanin et al. reveal a major and independent contribution of TDP-43 to neurodegeneration and shed light on the regional distribution of TDP-43-related atrophy in older adults.

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Higher VO2max is associated with thicker cortex and lower grey matter blood flow in older adults

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-96138-5 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Gaia Olivo ◽

Jonna Nilsson ◽

Benjamín Garzón ◽

Alexander Lebedev ◽

Anders Wåhlin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Blood Flow ◽

Physical Exercise ◽

Cortical Thickness ◽

Grey Matter ◽

Brain Activity ◽

Moderate Intensity ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Matter Volume ◽

The Impact

AbstractVO2max (maximal oxygen consumption), a validated measure of aerobic fitness, has been associated with better cerebral artery compliance and measures of brain morphology, such as higher cortical thickness (CT) in frontal, temporal and cingular cortices, and larger grey matter volume (GMV) of the middle temporal gyrus, hippocampus, orbitofrontal cortex and cingulate cortex. Single sessions of physical exercise can promptly enhance cognitive performance and brain activity during executive tasks. However, the immediate effects of exercise on macro-scale properties of the brain’s grey matter remain unclear. We investigated the impact of one session of moderate-intensity physical exercise, compared with rest, on grey matter volume, cortical thickness, working memory performance, and task-related brain activity in older adults. Cross-sectional associations between brain measures and VO2max were also tested. Exercise did not induce statistically significant changes in brain activity, grey matter volume, or cortical thickness. Cardiovascular fitness, measured by VO2max, was associated with lower grey matter blood flow in the left hippocampus and thicker cortex in the left superior temporal gyrus. Cortical thickness was reduced at post-test independent of exercise/rest. Our findings support that (1) fitter individuals may need lower grey matter blood flow to meet metabolic oxygen demand, and (2) have thicker cortex.

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Nucleus accumbens volume is related to obesity measures in an age-dependent fashion

10.1101/773119 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Isabel García-García ◽

Filip Morys ◽

Alain Dagher

Keyword(s):

Older Adults ◽

Nucleus Accumbens ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Uk Biobank ◽

Matter Volume ◽

The Uk ◽

Pathological Eating ◽

The Brain

AbstractMotivation theories of obesity suggest that one of the brain mechanisms underlying pathological eating and weight gain is the dysregulation of dopaminergic circuits. While these dysregulations occur likely at the microscopic level, studies on gray matter volume reported macroscopic differences associated with obesity. One region suggested to play a key role in the pathophysiology of obesity is the nucleus accumbens (NAcc). We performed a meta-analysis of findings regarding NAcc volume and overweight/obesity. We additionally examined whether gray matter volume in the NAcc and other mesolimbic areas depends on the longitudinal trajectory of obesity, using the UK Biobank dataset. To this end, we analysed the data using a latent growth model, which identifies whether certain variables of interest (e.g. NAcc volume) is related to another variable’s (BMI) initial values or longitudinal trajectories. Our meta-analysis showed that, overall, NAcc volume is positively related to BMI. However, further analyses revealed that the relationship between NAcc volume and BMI is dependent on age. For younger individuals such relationship is positive, while for older adults it is negative. This was corroborated by our analysis in the UK Biobank dataset, which includes older adults, where we found that higher BMI was associated with lower NAcc and thalamus volume. Overall, our study suggests that increased NAcc volume in young age might be a vulnerability factor for obesity, while in the older age decreased NAcc volume with increased BMI might be an effect of prolonged influences of neuroinflammation on the brain.

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