Journal article
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Is Associated with Age-Related Decline in Hippocampal Volume
The Journal of neuroscience, Vol.30(15), pp.5368-5375
04/14/2010
DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.6251-09.2010
PMID: 20392958
Abstract
Hippocampal volume shrinks in late adulthood, but the neuromolecular factors that trigger hippocampal decay in aging humans remains a matter of speculation. In rodents, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) promotes the growth and proliferation of cells in the hippocampus and is important in long-term potentiation and memory formation. In humans, circulating levels of BDNF decline with advancing age, and a genetic polymorphism for BDNF has been related to gray matter volume loss in old age. In this study, we tested whether age-related reductions in serum levels of BDNF would be related to shrinkage of the hippocampus and memory deficits in older adults. Hippocampal volume was acquired by automated segmentation of magnetic resonance images in 142 older adults without dementia. The caudate nucleus was also segmented and examined in relation to levels of serum BDNF. Spatial memory was tested using a paradigm in which memory load was parametrically increased. We found that increasing age was associated with smaller hippocampal volumes, reduced levels of serum BDNF, and poorer memory performance. Lower levels of BDNF were associated with smaller hippocampi and poorer memory, even when controlling for the variation related to age. In an exploratory mediation analysis, hippocampal volume mediated the age-related decline in spatial memory and BDNF mediated the age-related decline in hippocampal volume. Caudate nucleus volume was unrelated to BDNF levels or spatial memory performance. Our results identify serum BDNF as a significant factor related to hippocampal shrinkage and memory decline in late adulthood.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Is Associated with Age-Related Decline in Hippocampal Volume
- Creators
- Kirk I Erickson - Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260Ruchika Shaurya Prakash - Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, andMichelle W Voss - Department of Psychology, The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology andLaura Chaddock - Department of Psychology, The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology andSusie Heo - Department of Psychology, The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology andMolly McLaren - Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260Brandt D Pence - Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801Stephen A Martin - Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801Victoria J Vieira - Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801Jeffrey A Woods - Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801Edward McAuley - Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois 61801Arthur F Kramer - Department of Psychology, The Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology and
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Journal of neuroscience, Vol.30(15), pp.5368-5375
- DOI
- 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.6251-09.2010
- PMID
- 20392958
- NLM abbreviation
- J Neurosci
- ISSN
- 0270-6474
- eISSN
- 1529-2401
- Publisher
- Society for Neuroscience
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 04/14/2010
- Academic Unit
- Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
- Record Identifier
- 9984002337202771
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