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Brain ferritin iron may influence age- and gender-related risks of neurodegeneration
Bartzokis G, Tishler TA, Lu PH, Villablanca P, Altshuler LL, Carter M, Huang D, Edwards N et al.. Neurobiology of aging, 2006-03-24
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Background Brain iron promotes oxidative damage and protein oligomerization that result in highly prevalent age-related proteinopathies such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB). Men are more likely to develop such diseases at earlier ages than women but brain iron levels increase with age in both genders. We hypothesized that brain iron may influence both the age- and gender-related risks of developing these diseases. Methods The amount of iron in ferritin molecules (ferritin iron) was measured in vivo with MRI by utilizing the field dependent relaxation rate increase (FDRI) method. Ferritin iron was measured in four subcortical nuclei [caudate (C), putamen (P), globus pallidus (G), thalamus (T)], three white matter regions [frontal lobe (Fwm), genu and splenium of the corpus callosum (Gwm, Swm)] and hippocampus (Hipp) in 165 healthy adults aged 19-82. Results There was a high correlation (r>0.99) between published post-mortem brain iron levels and FDRI. There were significant age-related changes in ferritin iron (increases in Hipp, C, P, G, and decreases in Fwm). Women had significantly lower ferritin iron than men in five regions (C, T, Fwm, Gwm, Swm). Conclusions This is the first demonstration of gender differences in brain ferritin iron levels. It is possible that brain iron accumulation is a risk factor that can be modified. MRI provides the opportunity to assess brain iron levels in vivo and may be useful in targeting individuals or groups for preventive therapeutic interventions.
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APA 7th
Bartzokis, G., Tishler, T. A., Lu, P. H., Villablanca, P., Altshuler, L. L., Carter, M., et al. (2007). Brain ferritin iron may influence age- and gender-related risks of neurodegeneration. Neurobiology of aging. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.02.005
Vancouver
Bartzokis G, Tishler TA, Lu PH, Villablanca P, Altshuler LL, Carter M, et al. Brain ferritin iron may influence age- and gender-related risks of neurodegeneration. Neurobiology of aging. 2007. doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.02.005. PMID: 16563566.
BibTeX
@article{bartzokis2007-16563566,
author = {Bartzokis, G. and Tishler, T. A. and Lu, P. H. and Villablanca, P. and Altshuler, L. L. and Carter, M. and Huang, D. and Edwards, N. and others},
title = {{Brain ferritin iron may influence age- and gender-related risks of neurodegeneration}},
journal = {Neurobiology of aging},
year = {2007},
doi = {10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.02.005},
pmid = {16563566},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2006.02.005}
}
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Key findings
- Background Brain iron promotes oxidative damage and protein oligomerization that result in highly prevalent age-related proteinopathies such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB).
- Results There was a high correlation (r>0.99) between published post-mortem brain iron levels and FDRI.
- There were significant age-related changes in ferritin iron (increases in Hipp, C, P, G, and decreases in Fwm).
- Women had significantly lower ferritin iron than men in five regions (C, T, Fwm, Gwm, Swm).
Why it matters
This imaging study in healthy adults found age-related changes in brain ferritin iron and lower ferritin iron in women than men in several brain regions. It suggests brain iron accumulation may be a risk factor that could be modified, but it does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Neurobiology of aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Neurobiology of Aging: journal h-index 263 (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 | 2007 — 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) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 6 / 7 | Cited 342 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 16.3 citations a year over 21 year(s) since 2007 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.7× 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 | 2 / 4 | Cited 38 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Jim Mintz: h-index 103 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of California, Los Angeles: institution h-index 1,923 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 16563566) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
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