title: Age-related shrinkage of the mamillary bodies: in vivo MRI evidence.
abstract: Mamillary body (MB) is a diencephalic structure hypothesized to be involved in memory, a cognitive function that declines with age. In this study, age-related differences in the size of MB were examined in vivo using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. The cross-sectional area of the MB was estimated from MR images of the brain in healthy volunteers and neurologically intact patients (age 18-78). The cross-sectional area of the tectum was used as a control region of interest. We found a significant age-related reduction in the area of the MB, but not of the tectum. No sex differences were observed in the size of either structure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Memphis State University, TN 38152.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Raz
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Acker
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003071:Cognition; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008326:Mammillary Bodies / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values