Divergent white matter metabolic signature patterns indicate impending cognitive decline in aging and dementia - PubMed
5 hours ago
- #cognitive decline
- #Alzheimer's disease
- #white matter
- White matter (WM) glucose metabolism plays a significant role in cognitive aging, with divergent patterns observed in different WM regions.
- Higher glucose metabolism in expected WM (EWM) regions like the corpus callosum and cingulum is associated with better cognition.
- Increased glucose metabolism in atypical WM (AWM) regions such as the corona radiata is linked to worse cognition, suggesting a compensatory mechanism.
- EWM metabolism declines with aging, Alzheimer's disease progression, and white matter hyperintensities.
- AWM metabolism increases with aging and vascular risk but is partially weakened by Alzheimer's disease neuropathology.
- Longitudinally, higher EWM and lower AWM metabolism predict slower cognitive decline.
- The study highlights the complementary role of WM metabolism in predicting future cognitive decline and identifying cognitive resilience.