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Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is associated with age-related decline in hippocampal volume
Erickson KI, Prakash RS, Voss MW, Chaddock L, Heo S, McLaren M, Pence BD, Martin SA et al.. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 2010-04-01
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
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.
Key findings
- 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.
Why it matters
This study tested whether age-related reductions in serum levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor are related to shrinkage of the hippocampus and memory deficits in older adults. In rodents, BDNF promotes growth and proliferation of cells in the hippocampus and is important in long-term potentiation and memory formation.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 50/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Journal of Neuroscience: journal h-index 651 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 1 / 5 | 2010 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 605 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 4 / 5 | 33.6 citations a year over 18 year(s) since 2010 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 15.8× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 117 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Arthur F. Kramer: h-index 130 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | University of Pittsburgh: institution h-index 1,470 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 20392958) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 50 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.6251-09.2010
- PubMed: 20392958
- Original source →
- Free full text: Journal of Neuroscience →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Erickson, K. I., Prakash, R. S., Voss, M. W., Chaddock, L., Heo, S., McLaren, M., et al. (2010). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is associated with age-related decline in hippocampal volume. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.6251-09.2010
Vancouver
Erickson KI, Prakash RS, Voss MW, Chaddock L, Heo S, McLaren M, et al. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is associated with age-related decline in hippocampal volume. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 2010. doi:10.1523/jneurosci.6251-09.2010. PMID: 20392958.
BibTeX
@article{erickson2010-20392958,
author = {Erickson, K. I. and Prakash, R. S. and Voss, M. W. and Chaddock, L. and Heo, S. and McLaren, M. and Pence, B. D. and Martin, S. A. and others},
title = {{Brain-derived neurotrophic factor is associated with age-related decline in hippocampal volume}},
journal = {The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience},
year = {2010},
doi = {10.1523/jneurosci.6251-09.2010},
pmid = {20392958},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.6251-09.2010}
}
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