Summary
Researchers found that changes in the shape of the brain as it ages can be linked to declines in memory and cognitive functions, which might help predict dementia before symptoms appear. They studied over 2,600 brain scans and noticed certain parts of the brain expand or contract with age, especially in regions associated with Alzheimer's disease. This research suggests that brain shape could be used to identify early signs of dementia.
Key Facts
- Researchers from the University of California, Irvine and University of La Laguna studied brain scans to understand changes with aging.
- More than 2,600 MRI scans of adults aged 30 to 97 were analyzed.
- Certain brain regions, crucial for memory and cognitive functions, expand or contract with age.
- Dementia may cause these expansion and compression effects to worsen.
- The entorhinal cortex, crucial for memory, is one of the first areas affected in Alzheimer's disease.
- The study suggests brain shape could be an early marker for dementia risk.
- Current methods focus on small changes in the brain, but this study looks at overall brain shape changes.
- This research points to the need for a combined approach to study Alzheimer's, considering both molecular and global changes.
