BackgroundDecreasing white matter integrity in limbic pathways including the fornix and cingulum have been reported in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), although underlying mechanisms and potential sex differences remain understudied. We therefore sought to explore sex as a moderator of the effect of age on myelin water fraction (MWF), a measure of myelin content, in older adults without dementia (N = 52).MethodsParticipants underwent neuropsychological evaluation and 3 T MRI at two research sites. Multicomponent driven equilibrium single pulse observation of T1 and T2 (mcDESPOT) quantified MWF in 3 a priori regions including the fornix, hippocampal cingulum (CgH), and cingulate cingulum (CgC). The California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition assessed learning and delayed recall. Multiple linear regressions assessed for (1) interactions between age and sex on regional MWF and (2) associations of regional MWF and memory.Results(1) There was a significant age by sex interaction on MWF of the fornix (p = 0.002) and CgC (p = 0.005), but not the CgH (p = 0.192); as age increased, MWF decreased in women but not men. (2) Fornix MWF was associated with both learning and recall (ps < 0.01), but MWF of the two cingulum regions were not (p > 0.05). Results were unchanged when adjusting for hippocampal volume.ConclusionThe current work adds to the literature by illuminating sex differences in age-related myelin decline using a measure sensitive to myelin and may help facilitate detection of AD risk for women.
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Dr. David Lowemann, M.Sc, Ph.D., is a co-founder of the Institute for the Future of Human Potential, where he leads the charge in pioneering Self-Enhancement Science for the Success of Society. With a keen interest in exploring the untapped potential of the human mind, Dr. Lowemann has dedicated his career to pushing the boundaries of human capabilities and understanding.
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