title: Contributions of age and alcohol consumption to cerebellar integrity, gait and cognition in non-demented very old individuals.
abstract: Gait disturbance and cognitive changes are common with ageing. The cerebellum contributes to motor coordination and participates in various aspects of cognition. However, no research has investigated the possible cerebellar contribution to gait and cognition in non-demented very old individuals. The current study aimed to determine the associations between indices of cerebellar size (vermal area and total volume) and measures of motor and cognitive integrity, as well as the role of variables known to impact on cerebellar size (alcohol consumption and chronological age) in a sample of 111 community dwellers (mean age: 85 years; range: 81-97 years). A marginally significant association was present between age and total vermal area. Significant correlations between current daily alcohol intake and some vermal areas were observed. These associations were more pronounced in men, particularly after controlling for cerebrum size. Multiple linear regression models revealed limited unique contributions of cerebellar predictors to neurological and cognitive measures. In summary, the results indicate that the cerebellum may be susceptible to alcohol-related shrinkage in non-demented very old individuals, more so in men, even at low dose. It also appears that the observed changes in cerebellum size in this population contribute little to neurological and cognitive changes.
authors.affiliation: Prince of Wales Medical Research Institute and the University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia. o.piguet@unsw.edu.au
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Piguet
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cramsie
authors.forename: Hayley P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: Jillian J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kril
authors.forename: Tanya C
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Lye
authors.forename: Alastair J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Corbett
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Creasey
authors.forename: G Anthony
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Broe
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis; D001284:Atrophy; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000473:pathology*; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D020234:Gait Ataxia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009460:Neurologic Examination; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013687:Telencephalon / Q000473:pathology