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Structural organization of the prefrontal white matter pathways in the adult and aging brain measured by diffusion tensor imaging

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Abstract

Previous diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies confirmed the vulnerability of frontal callosal fibers to normal aging. The present study extended this examination systematically to other prefrontal white matter regions. Structural magnetic resonance imaging and DTI datasets were acquired from 69 healthy subjects aged 22–84 years. The prefrontal white matter was parcellated into several anatomical sub-regions: medial and lateral orbitofrontal white matter, dorsolateral prefrontal white matter, and medial prefrontal white matter, using reliable DTI-tractography protocols. Tract-specific characteristics were calculated using Matlab. Regression models were used to determine the relationship between age and structural integrity of white matter tracts. The results of our study demonstrate regional age-related changes in the prefrontal white matter tracts of the human brain. This study was cross-sectional and therefore additional longitudinal studies are needed to confirm our findings.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR MOP 64413 to NC, CIHR MOP 67132 to RC). Personnel support: Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR) (NC); Office of the Provost and Vice-President (Academic), University of Alberta (SV).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2V2, Canada

    Nikolai Malykhin, Sana Vahidy, Stijn Michielse & Peter Seres

  2. Centre for Neuroscience, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Nikolai Malykhin

  3. Department of Psychiatry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Nikolai Malykhin, Nick Coupland & Rawle Carter

  4. Division of Neurology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada

    Richard Camicioli

  5. Department of Biometrics, Zuyd University, Heerlen, The Netherlands

    Stijn Michielse

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  1. Nikolai Malykhin
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Correspondence to Nikolai Malykhin.

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Malykhin, N., Vahidy, S., Michielse, S. et al. Structural organization of the prefrontal white matter pathways in the adult and aging brain measured by diffusion tensor imaging. Brain Struct Funct 216, 417–431 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-011-0321-1

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