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Brain-predicted age in Down syndrome is associated with beta amyloid deposition and cognitive decline.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

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Authors

Cole, James H 
Annus, Tiina 
Wilson, Liam R 
Remtulla, Ridhaa 
Hong, Young T 

Abstract

Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) are more likely to experience earlier onset of multiple facets of physiological aging. This includes brain atrophy, beta amyloid deposition, cognitive decline, and Alzheimer's disease-factors indicative of brain aging. Here, we employed a machine learning approach, using structural neuroimaging data to predict age (i.e., brain-predicted age) in people with DS (N = 46) and typically developing controls (N = 30). Chronological age was then subtracted from brain-predicted age to generate a brain-predicted age difference (brain-PAD) score. DS participants also underwent [11C]-PiB positron emission tomography (PET) scans to index the levels of cerebral beta amyloid deposition, and cognitive assessment. Mean brain-PAD in DS participants' was +2.49 years, significantly greater than controls (p < 0.001). The variability in brain-PAD was associated with the presence and the magnitude of PiB-binding and levels of cognitive performance. Our study indicates that DS is associated with premature structural brain aging, and that age-related alterations in brain structure are associated with individual differences in the rate of beta amyloid deposition and cognitive impairment.

Description

Keywords

Amyloid PET, Brain aging, Cognitive decline, Down syndrome, MRI, Machine learning, Adult, Aged, Aging, Amyloid beta-Peptides, Brain, Cognition, Down Syndrome, Female, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Neuroimaging, Positron-Emission Tomography

Journal Title

Neurobiology of Aging

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0197-4580
1558-1497

Volume Title

56

Publisher

Elsevier
Sponsorship
Medical Research Council (G1002252)
Medical Research Council (MR/M009041/1)
Medical Research Council (MR/M024873/1)
James Cole is funded by a research grant to Imperial College London from the Medical Research Council (MR/L022141/1).The collection of the data reported in this paper was supported by a grant to the University of Cambridge from the Medical Research Council (Grant ID # 98480). Additional funding came from the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research centre, the NIHR Collaborations in Leadership for Applied Health Research and Care (CLAHRC) for the East of England, the NIHR Cambridge Dementia Biomedical Research Unit, the Down's Syndrome Association (DSA) and the Health Foundation. We are grateful for their support.