Accelerated aging of the putamen in men but not in women.
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.
Nunnemann
Sabine
S
Department of Neurology, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Str. 22, D-81675 München, Germany.
Wohlschläger
Afra M
AM
Ilg
Rüdiger
R
Gaser
Christian
C
Etgen
Thorleif
T
Conrad
Bastian
B
Zimmer
Claus
C
Mühlau
Mark
M
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