Evidence of association between regional cerebral blood flow deficits and demyelination in normal aging

Little is known about the relationship between white matter (WM) perfusion and microstructure across cognitively normal or impaired subjects. WM maintenance through oligodendrocyte metabolism is an energy-intensive process, so that myelin homeostasis is particularly sensitive to hypoxia, ischemia, or hypoperfusion. In addition to substrate delivery, adequate cerebral blood flow (CBF) is crucial for removal of metabolic byproducts. We investigated associations between CBF deficits and myelin loss in multiple brain regions in a cohort of cognitively unimpaired participants across a wide age range. We show significant correlations between CBF deficits and myelin loss in critical brain structures.