Where the brain grows old: decline in anterior cingulate and medial prefrontal function with normal aging.

Full Abstract

Even healthy adults worry about declines in mental efficiency with aging. Subjective changes in mental flexibility, self-regulation, processing speed, and memory are often cited. We show here that focal decreases in brain activity occur with normal aging as measured with fluorodeoxyglucose and positron emission tomography. The largest declines localize to a medial network including the anterior cingulate/medial prefrontal cortex, dorsomedial thalamus, and sugenual cingulate/basal forebrain. Declining metabolism in this network correlates with declining cognitive function. The medial prefrontal metabolic changes with aging are similar in magnitude to the hypometabolism found in Mild Cognitive Impairment or Alzheimer's disease. These results converge with data from healthy elderly indicating dysfunction in the anterior attention system. The interaction of attention in the anterior cingulate cortex with memory in the medial temporal lobe may explain the global impairment that defines dementia. Despite the implications for an aging population, the neurophysiologic mechanisms of these metabolic decreases remain unknown.

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Author information

Author/s: Pardo, José V (JV); Lee, Joel T (JT); Sheikh, Sohail A (SA); Surerus-Johnson, Christa (C); Shah, Hemant (H); Munch, Kristin R (KR); Carlis, John V (JV); Lewis, Scott M (SM); Kuskowski, Michael A (MA); Dysken, Maurice W (MW);

Affiliation: Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA. jvpardo(-atsign-)umn.edu <jvpardo(-atsign-)umn.edu>

Grants: R01 AG020852-01 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; R01 AG020852-02 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS) ; R01 AG120852 (Agency:NIA NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

Journal: NeuroImage (Neuroimage), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Apr; vol 35 (issue 3) : pp 1231-7

Dates: Created 2007/04/09; Completed 2007/06/12; Revised 2008/11/20;

PMID: 17321756, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Aging - pathology
Cognition
Cognition Disorders - pathology; physiopathology
Female

Female
Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 - diagnostic use
Gyrus Cinguli - pathology; physiopathology
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Prefrontal Cortex - pathology; physiopathology
Radiopharmaceuticals - diagnostic use

Associated Chemicals: Radiopharmaceuticals (0) ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 (63503-12-8)

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