Changes in brain shape may conceal signs of future . In their study, a team of neurobiologists from the University of California, Irvine (USA) and the University of La Laguna (Spain) started with the well-known fact that brain volume decreases with age.
“We found that the overall shape of the brain systematically changes, and these changes are closely linked to the presence of cognitive impairments,” reported Niels Janssen from the University of La Laguna.
What Did the Scientists Discover?
The researchers analyzed over 2,600 MRI scans of the of individuals aged 30 to 97, as reported by Science Alert. Primarily, the scientists tracked age-related changes in structure and shape, correlating them with the results of cognitive tests taken by participants.
It turned out that in healthy individuals, age-related expansions and contractions of the brain were more uniform than in those participants who showed a decline in cognitive abilities.
It is known that areas of the brain in the occipital region shrink with age. During the study, this was particularly evident in those who performed the worst on reasoning ability tests.
The researchers suggested that the most crucial center for – the entorhinal cortex – may be under pressure due to age-related changes in shape. This is also the area where toxic proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease typically begin to accumulate.
“This could explain why the entorhinal cortex is the epicenter of such pathology as . If an aging brain changes in this way, this delicate area becomes pressed against a rigid boundary, potentially creating ideal conditions for damage to develop,” noted Michael Yassa from the University of California, Irvine.
According to him, understanding this process has allowed scientists to view the mechanisms of Alzheimer’s disease and the possibilities for its early detection in a completely new light.
Further brain scans and more precise measurements will help researchers advance in studying changes in brain shape. The team aims to clarify why certain areas expand with age and how this relates to cognitive functions.
The main takeaway from this current work is that for the health of an aging brain, not only its volume matters but also its three-dimensional shape, which consists of numerous different regions that together support the sharpness and activity of our mind.
“We are just beginning to understand how brain geometry influences the development of diseases. As this study has shown, the answers may be hidden in plain sight – in the shape of the brain,” said Yassa.
The results of the study were published in the journal Nature Communications.
Photo: Unsplash, Openverse
