title: Accelerated aging of the putamen in men but not in women.
abstract: Age-related structural brain changes have been demonstrated repeatedly but data on the effect of gender on age-related structural brain changes are conflicting. Using high-resolution T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and voxel-based morphometry, we examined a population of 133 healthy adults (women, 73; men, 60; age range, 29-80 years) focusing on differential aging between men and women (i.e., interaction of age and gender). Compared to women, men showed accelerated age-related gray matter (GM) loss in the posterior putamen. Our data may constitute the structural substrate for age-related differences in motor function between men and women such as the higher incidence and earlier onset of Parkinson's disease in men.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Str. 22, D-81675 München, Germany.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nunnemann
authors.forename: Afra M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wohlschläger
authors.forename: Rüdiger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ilg
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gaser
authors.forename: Thorleif
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Etgen
authors.forename: Bastian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Conrad
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zimmer
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mühlau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011699:Putamen / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012737:Sex Factors