title: Association of basal forebrain volumes and cognition in normal aging.
abstract: The basal forebrain cholinergic system (BFCS) is known to undergo moderate neurodegenerative alterations during normal aging and severe atrophy in Alzheimer's disease (AD). It has been suggested that functional and structural alterations of the BFCS mediate cognitive performance in normal aging and AD. But, it is still unclear to what extend age-associated cognitive decline can be related to BFCS in normal aging. We analyzed the relationship between BFCS volume and cognition using MRI and a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery in a cohort of 43 healthy elderly subjects spanning the age range from 60 to 85 years. Most notably, we found significant associations between general intelligence and BFCS volumes, specifically within areas corresponding to posterior nuclei of the nucleus basalis of Meynert (Ch4p) and the nucleus subputaminalis (NSP). Associations between specific cognitive domains and BFCS volumes were less pronounced. Supplementary analyses demonstrated that especially the volume of NSP but also the volume of Ch4p was related to the volume of widespread temporal, frontal, and parietal gray and white matter regions. Volumes of these gray and white matter regions were also related to general intelligence. Higher volumes of Ch4p and NSP may enhance the effectiveness of acetylcholine supply in related gray and white matter regions underlying general intelligence and hence explain the observed association between the volume of Ch4p as well as NSP and general intelligence. Since general intelligence is known to attenuate the degree of age-associated cognitive decline and the risk of developing late-onset AD, the BFCS might, besides the specific contribution to the pathophysiology in AD, constitute a mechanism of brain resilience in normal aging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany. Electronic address: dominik.wolf@unimedizin-mainz.de.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.affiliation: DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 18147 Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grothe
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: F U
authors.initials: FU
authors.lastname: Fischer
authors.affiliation: Morphological Brain Research Unit, Department of Psychiatry, University of Würzburg, 97080 Würzburg, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heinsen
authors.affiliation: DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 18147 Rostock, Germany; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University of Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kilimann
authors.affiliation: DZNE, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 18147 Rostock, Germany; Department of Psychosomatic Medicine, University of Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teipel
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Mainz, 55131 Mainz, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fellgiebel
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001288:Attention; D003071:Cognition; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004522:Educational Status; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D016014:Linear Models; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009929:Organ Size; D013687:Telencephalon / Q000033:anatomy & histology*
keywords: Basal forebrain cholinergic system; Brain resilience; Cognition; General intelligence; Normal aging; Nucleus basalis of Meynert