Magnetic resonance imaging evaluation of the effects of ageing on grey-white ratio in the human brain.
A previous neuropathological report noted a non-linear pattern of change in cerebral grey-white matter ratio during ageing. In that report, grey-white ratio decreased from age 20 to age 50, then increased in elderly subjects. The objective of the current study was to attempt to replicate this pattern of age-related change in the grey-white ratio in living human subjects using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging segmentation analysis. We measured the grey-white ratio in 78 subjects between the ages of 19 and 77 years, using a computer segmentation algorithm with magnetic resonance images. In agreement with the previous neuropathological report, the current in vivo magnetic resonance study found that the grey-white ratio declined from age 20 to age 50, then increased in elderly subjects.
Harris
G J
GJ
Department of Psychiatry, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA 02111.
Schlaepfer
T E
TE
Peng
L W
LW
Lee
S
S
Federman
E B
EB
Pearlson
G D
GD
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged