Federica
Agosta1, Stefania Sala1, Elisabetta Pagani1,
Domenico Caputo2, Massimo Filippi1
1Neuroimaging Research Unit, Institute
of Experimental Neurology, Division of Neuroscience, Scientific Institute and
University Hospital San Raffaele, Milan, Italy; 2Department of
Neurology, Scientific Institute Fondazione Don Gnocchi, Milan, Italy
Linear
and quadratic age-related WM tract microstructural and volumetric changes
were evaluated in 84 healthy volunteers. Age-related MD increase and FA
decrease were associated with region-specific patterns of radial diffusivity
increase and both decrease and increase in axial diffusivity. The quadratic
model better fitted DT-MRI changes in several WM tracts. A negative
correlation was found between age and left cingulum and fornix volumes. The
quadratic model better fitted volume decline in corpus callosum and right
inferior-fronto-occipital fasciculus. WM integrity loss and atrophy varies
with age by WM tract and may reflect different degrees of severity of changes
in WM properties.
Keywords