Cerebral white matter myelination is associated with longitudinal changes in processing speed across the adult lifespan.

Zhaoyuan Gong, Murat Bilgel, Yang An, Christopher M Bergeron, Jan Bergeron, Linda Zukley, Luigi Ferrucci, Susan M Resnick, Mustapha Bouhrara

Magnetic Resonance Physics of Aging and Dementia Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.Magnetic Resonance Physics of Aging and Dementia Unit, Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA. · pubmed

Paper

Abstract

Myelin's role in processing speed is pivotal, as it facilitates efficient neural conduction. Its decline could significantly affect cognitive efficiency during ageing. In this work, myelin content was quantified using our advanced MRI method of myelin water fraction mapping. We examined the relationship between myelin water fraction at the time of MRI and retrospective longitudinal change in processing speed among 121 cognitively unimpaired participants, aged 22-94 years, from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging and the Genetic and Epigenetic Signatures of Translational Aging Laboratory Testing (a mean follow-up duration of 4.3 ± 6.3 years) using linear mixed-effects models, adjusting for demographics. We found that higher myelin water fraction values correlated with longitudinally better-maintained processing speed, with particularly significant associations in several white matter regions. Detailed voxel-wise analysis provided further insight into the specific white matter tracts involved. This research underscores the essential role of myelin in preserving processing speed and highlights its potential as a sensitive biomarker for interventions targeting age-related cognitive decline, thereby offering a foundation for preventative strategies in neurological health.

The following analysis is generated by AI and may contain errors. It is separate from the authors’ abstract and is not peer review.

Research summary

The paper investigates the relationship between myelin content and processing speed across the adult lifespan, which is pertinent to understanding cognitive decline associated with aging. While it provides solid research on the role of myelin as a potential biomarker for cognitive health, the findings are more incremental rather than groundbreaking. The implications for preventative strategies in neurological health are noteworthy, but the study does not address the root causes of aging itself, limiting its overall impact on the field of longevity research.

Author of this paper? Send a correction.