Cited by 508Dementia and Cognitive Impairment ResearchAging and Gerontology ResearchFunctional Brain Connectivity Studies

Consistent neuroanatomical age-related volume differences across multiple samples

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Walhovd, Kristine B., Westlye, Lars T., Amlien, Inge, Espeseth, Thomas, Reinvang, Ivar, Raz, Naftali, Agartz, Ingrid, Salat, David H. +4 more·2011·Neurobiology of Aging

Abstract

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the principal method for studying structural age-related brain changes in vivo. However, previous research has yielded inconsistent results, precluding understanding of structural changes of the aging brain. This inconsistency is due to methodological differences and/or different aging patterns across samples. To overcome these problems, we tested age effects on 17 different neuroanatomical structures and total brain volume across five samples, of which one was split to further investigate consistency (883 participants). Widespread age-related volume differences were seen consistently across samples. In four of the five samples, all structures, except the brainstem, showed age-related volume differences. The strongest and most consistent effects were found for cerebral cortex, pallidum, putamen and accumbens volume. Total brain volume, cerebral white matter, caudate, hippocampus and the ventricles consistently showed non-linear age functions. Healthy aging appears associated with more widespread and consistent age-related neuroanatomical volume differences than previously believed.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2009.05.013

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  • Consistent with reduced neural resources, older adults show a greater increase in activity, a lower asymptote, and an earlier decline than younger adults.

    “Several studies36,38–41 have found that, consistent with reduced neural resources, older adults show a greater increase in activity, a lower asymptote, and an earlier decline than younger adults”

    From Maintenance, reserve and compensation: the cognitive neuroscience of healthy ageing (2018) · cites this paper as [39]

    The Discussion reports age-related differences in brain volume, including accelerating white-matter volume loss after middle age. It does not address the claimed pattern of neural activity—a greater increase, lower asymptote, and earlier decline in older adults (searched: activity, neural resources, and functional activation). (LLM, conf=0.76)

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4 of the 97 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. Raz N Lindenberger U Rodrigue KM Kennedy KM Head D Williamson A Dahle C Gerstorf D Acker JD Regional Brain Changes in Aging Healthy Adults: General Trends, Individual Differences and Modifiers Cereb. Cortex %R 10.1093/cercor/bhi044 2005b 15 1676 1689 15703252 · DOI · Paper page

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Authors
Walhovd, K. B., Westlye, L. T., Amlien, I., Espeseth, T., Reinvang, I., Raz, N., Agartz, I., Salat, D. H., Greve, D. N., Fischl, B., Dale, A. M., & Fjell, A. M.
Affiliations
  • University of Oslo (NO)
  • Wayne State University (US)
  • Massachusetts General Hospital (US)
  • University of California San Diego (US)
Corresponding author
Walhovd, Kristine B.
Venue
Neurobiology of Aging
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2011-05
Volume
32
Issue
5
Pages
916-932
ISSN
0197-4580 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2120973488
Cited by
506
References
97
Citations by year
2026: 22 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 43 · 2020: 39 · 2019: 44 · 2018: 31 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 28 · 2015: 28 · 2014: 37 · 2013: 32 · 2012: 42
FWCI
18.14
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Neurobiology of Aging (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute on Aging (R37AG011230, R01-AG11230, R01AG011230)
  • National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (R01NS039581, R01-NS39581)
  • National Center for Research Resources (P41-RR-14075, R01RR013609, R01-RR13609, R01-RR16594, P41RR014075, R01RR016594)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Aging and Gerontology Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Functional Brain Connectivity Studies
Keywords
brain aging, total brain volume, cerebral cortex, globus pallidus, putamen, accumbens, hippocampus, caudate nucleus, ventricles, white matter, healthy aging
MeSH terms
Adult, Age Factors, Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Aging, Brain, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Organ Size, Young Adult

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