An MRI study of age-related white and gray matter volume changes in the rhesus monkey

Neurobiol Aging. 2008 Oct;29(10):1563-75. doi: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2007.03.022. Epub 2007 Apr 24.

Abstract

We applied the automated MRI segmentation technique Template Driven Segmentation (TDS) to dual-echo spin echo (DE SE) images of eight young (5-12 years), six middle-aged (16-19 years) and eight old (24-30 years) rhesus monkeys. We analyzed standardized mean volumes for 18 anatomically defined regions of interest (ROI's) and found an overall decrease from young to old age in the total forebrain (5.01%), forebrain parenchyma (5.24%), forebrain white matter (11.53%), forebrain gray matter (2.08%), caudate nucleus (11.79%) and globus pallidus (18.26%). Corresponding behavioral data for five of the young, five of the middle-aged and seven of the old subjects on the Delayed Non-matching to Sample (DNMS) task, the Delayed-recognition Span Task (DRST) and the Cognitive Impairment Index (CII) were also analyzed. We found that none of the cognitive measures were related to ROI volume changes in our sample size of monkeys.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aging / pathology*
  • Alzheimer Disease / pathology
  • Alzheimer Disease / physiopathology
  • Animals
  • Atrophy / pathology*
  • Atrophy / physiopathology
  • Brain / pathology*
  • Brain / physiopathology
  • Brain Mapping
  • Cerebral Cortex / pathology
  • Cerebral Cortex / physiopathology
  • Cognition Disorders / etiology
  • Cognition Disorders / pathology
  • Cognition Disorders / physiopathology
  • Disease Progression
  • Macaca mulatta / anatomy & histology*
  • Macaca mulatta / physiology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Memory Disorders / pathology*
  • Memory Disorders / physiopathology
  • Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / pathology*
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Organ Size