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Faulkner ME, Gong Z, Guo A, Laporte JP, Bae J, Bouhrara M. Harnessing myelin water fraction as an imaging biomarker of human cerebral aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and risk factors influencing myelination: A review. J Neurochem 2024. [PMID: 38973579 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2024] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Myelin water fraction (MWF) imaging has emerged as a promising magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) biomarker for investigating brain function and composition. This comprehensive review synthesizes the current state of knowledge on MWF as a biomarker of human cerebral aging, neurodegenerative diseases, and risk factors influencing myelination. The databases used include Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, and PubMed. We begin with a brief discussion of the theoretical foundations of MWF imaging, including its basis in MR physics and the mathematical modeling underlying its calculation, with an overview of the most adopted MRI methods of MWF imaging. Next, we delve into the clinical and research applications that have been explored to date, highlighting its advantages and limitations. Finally, we explore the potential of MWF to serve as a predictive biomarker for neurological disorders and identify future research directions for optimizing MWF imaging protocols and interpreting MWF in various contexts. By harnessing the power of MWF imaging, we may gain new insights into brain health and disease across the human lifespan, ultimately informing novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E Faulkner
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Zhaoyuan Gong
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Alex Guo
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - John P Laporte
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jonghyun Bae
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Mustapha Bouhrara
- Laboratory of Clinical Investigation, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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Burzynska AZ, Anderson C, Arciniegas DB, Calhoun V, Choi IY, Mendez Colmenares A, Kramer AF, Li K, Lee J, Lee P, Thomas ML. Correlates of axonal content in healthy adult span: Age, sex, myelin, and metabolic health. CEREBRAL CIRCULATION - COGNITION AND BEHAVIOR 2024; 6:100203. [PMID: 38292016 PMCID: PMC10827486 DOI: 10.1016/j.cccb.2024.100203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
As the emerging treatments that target grey matter pathology in Alzheimer's Disease have limited effectiveness, there is a critical need to identify new neural targets for treatments. White matter's (WM) metabolic vulnerability makes it a promising candidate for new interventions. This study examined the age and sex differences in estimates of axonal content, as well the associations of with highly prevalent modifiable health risk factors such as metabolic syndrome and adiposity. We estimated intra-axonal volume fraction (ICVF) using the Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging (NODDI) in a sample of 89 cognitively and neurologically healthy adults (20-79 years). We showed that ICVF correlated positively with age and estimates of myelin content. The ICVF was also lower in women than men, across all ages, which difference was accounted for by intracranial volume. Finally, we found no association of metabolic risk or adiposity scores with the current estimates of ICVF. In addition, the previously observed adiposity-myelin associations (Burzynska et al., 2023) were independent of ICVF. Although our findings confirm the vulnerability of axons to aging, they suggest that metabolic dysfunction may selectively affect myelin content, at least in cognitively and neurologically healthy adults with low metabolic risk, and when using the specific MRI techniques. Future studies need to revisit our findings using larger samples and different MRI approaches, and identify modifiable factors that accelerate axonal deterioration as well as mechanisms linking peripheral metabolism with the health of myelin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Z Burzynska
- The BRAiN lab, Department of Human Development and Family Studies/Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Charles Anderson
- Department of Computer Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - David B. Arciniegas
- Marcus Institute for Brain Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Vince Calhoun
- Tri-institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Emory, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - In-Young Choi
- Department of Neurology, Department of Radiology, Hoglund Biomedical Imaging Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Andrea Mendez Colmenares
- The BRAiN lab, Department of Human Development and Family Studies/Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Arthur F Kramer
- Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois, IL, USA
- Center for Cognitive & Brain Health, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kaigang Li
- Department of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Jongho Lee
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Phil Lee
- Department of Radiology, Hoglund Biomedical Imaging Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, USA
| | - Michael L Thomas
- Department of Psychology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
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Kueck PJ, Morris JK, Stanford JA. Current Perspectives: Obesity and Neurodegeneration - Links and Risks. Degener Neurol Neuromuscul Dis 2023; 13:111-129. [PMID: 38196559 PMCID: PMC10774290 DOI: 10.2147/dnnd.s388579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Obesity is increasing in prevalence across all age groups. Long-term obesity can lead to the development of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases through its effects on adipose, skeletal muscle, and liver tissue. Pathological mechanisms associated with obesity include immune response and inflammation as well as oxidative stress and consequent endothelial and mitochondrial dysfunction. Recent evidence links obesity to diminished brain health and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). Both AD and PD are associated with insulin resistance, an underlying syndrome of obesity. Despite these links, causative mechanism(s) resulting in neurodegenerative disease remain unclear. This review discusses relationships between obesity, AD, and PD, including clinical and preclinical findings. The review then briefly explores nonpharmacological directions for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul J Kueck
- Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - Jill K Morris
- Department of Neurology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
- University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
| | - John A Stanford
- University of Kansas Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
- Landon Center on Aging, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, 66160, USA
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