Age-related changes in regional cerebral blood flow among young to mid-life adults.
Using PET with [(15)O]H2O, we examined age in relation to regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) among young to mid-life adults. Previous work has largely contrasted rCBF between young and elderly age groups dichotomously. This study maps the continuum of normal age-related changes in rCBF from early to mid-adulthood. We obtained images from 37 healthy volunteers between 19 and 50 years of age during an eyes-closed resting baseline condition. There was a negative correlation between age and rCBF in mesial frontal cortex, involving the anterior cingulate region (r = 0.63, p<0.001). These findings reflect differences in the distribution of rCBF evident in early to mid-adulthood that may be associated with subsequent changes in memory and executive functioning in later life.
Schultz
S K
SK
Mental Health Clinical Research Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242, USA.
O'Leary
D S
DS
Boles Ponto
L L
LL
Watkins
G L
GL
Hichwa
R D
RD
Andreasen
N C
NC
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed