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Abstract #3149

Dual decline in cognition and gait speed is associated with lower myelin content across age

Zhaoyuan Gong1, Jonghyun Bae1, Noam Fox1, Nathan Zhang1, Alex Guo1, Angelique De Rouen1, Qu Tian1, Luigi Ferrucci1, and Mustapha Bouhrara1
1National Institute on Aging, Baltimore, MD, United States

Synopsis

Keywords: Aging, Aging, Myelin; Dual decline; Biomarker

Motivation: Dual declines in cognition and gait speed are associated with increased dementia risk, yet their link to brain microstructural changes, especially myelination, is not fully understood.

Goal(s): This study investigates the association between decline types and white matter myelination, a critical cerebral tissue determinant.

Approach: Using advanced MRI, we performed linear regression analyses to assess the relationship between myelin content and decline type classified by rates of cognitive and gait speed decline.

Results: Dual-decliners exhibited the lowest levels of myelin content, while non-decliners showed higher myelination across age.

Impact: This research reveals distinct myelin content levels by decline type, suggesting that tracking cognitive and gait decline may cost-effectively monitor brain health. It highlights myelination’s role in brain aging, where its degeneration may drive both declines and increased dementia risk.

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