Longitudinal evidence for a mutually reinforcing relationship between white matter hyperintensities and cortical thickness in cognitively unimpaired older adults.

ABSTRACT:

Background

For over three decades, the concomitance of cortical neurodegeneration and white matter hyperintensities (WMH) has sparked discussions about their coupled temporal dynamics. Longitudinal studies supporting this hypothesis nonetheless remain scarce.

Methods

We applied global and regional bivariate latent growth curve modelling to determine the extent to which WMH and cortical thickness were interrelated over a four-year period. For this purpose, we leveraged longitudinal MRI data from 451 cognitively unimpaired participants (DELCODE; median age 69.71 [IQR 65.51, 75.50] years; 52.32% female). Participants underwent MRI sessions annually over a four-year period (1815 sessions in total, with roughly four MRI sessions per participant). We adjusted all models for demogr

SUBMITTER: Bernal J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11520063 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature