Leveraging longitudinal diffusion MRI data to quantify differences in white matter microstructural decline in normal and abnormal aging

Abstract

Introduction: It is unclear how rates of white matter microstructural decline differ between normal aging and abnormal aging.

Methods: Diffusion MRI data from several well-established longitudinal cohorts of aging [Alzheimer's Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA), Vanderbilt Memory & Aging Project (VMAP)] was free-water corrected and harmonized. This dataset included 1,723 participants (age at baseline: 72.8±8.87 years, 49.5% male) and 4,605 imaging sessions (follow-up time: 2.97±2.09 years, follow-up range: 1-13 years, mean number of visits: 4.42±1.98). Differences in white matter microstructural decline in normal and abnormal agers was assessed.

Results: While we found global decline in white matter in normal/abnormal aging, we found that several white matter tracts (e.g., cingulum bundle) were vulnerable to abnormal aging.

Conclusions: There is a prevalent role of white matter microstructural decline in aging, and future large-scale studies in this area may further refine our understanding of the underlying neurodegenerative processes.

Highlights: Longitudinal data was free-water corrected and harmonizedGlobal effects of white matter decline were seen in normal and abnormal agingThe free-water metric was most vulnerable to abnormal agingCingulum free-water was the most vulnerable to abnormal aging.