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Regional age-related atrophy after screening for preclinical alzheimer disease
Koenig LN, LaMontagne P, Glasser MF, Bateman R, Holtzman D, Yakushev I, Chhatwal J, Day GS et al.. Neurobiology of aging, 2021-09-15
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Brain atrophy occurs in aging even in the absence of dementia, but it is unclear to what extent this is due to undetected preclinical Alzheimer disease. Here we examine a cross-sectional cohort (ages 18-88) free from confounding influence of preclinical Alzheimer disease, as determined by amyloid PET scans and three years of clinical evaluation post-imaging. We determine the regional strength of age-related atrophy using linear modeling of brain volumes and cortical thicknesses with age. Age-related atrophy was seen in nearly all regions, with greatest effects in the temporal lobe and subcortical regions. When modeling age with the estimated derivative of smoothed aging curves, we found that the temporal lobe declined linearly with age, subcortical regions declined faster at later ages, and frontal regions declined slower at later ages than during midlife. This age-derivative pattern was distinct from the linear measure of age-related atrophy and significantly associated with a measure of myelin. Atrophy did not detectably differ from a preclinical Alzheimer disease cohort when age ranges were matched.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Koenig, L. N., LaMontagne, P., Glasser, M. F., Bateman, R., Holtzman, D., Yakushev, I., et al. (2022). Regional age-related atrophy after screening for preclinical alzheimer disease. Neurobiology of aging. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.09.010
Vancouver
Koenig LN, LaMontagne P, Glasser MF, Bateman R, Holtzman D, Yakushev I, et al. Regional age-related atrophy after screening for preclinical alzheimer disease. Neurobiology of aging. 2022. doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.09.010. PMID: 34655980.
BibTeX
@article{koenig2022-34655980,
author = {Koenig, L. N. and LaMontagne, P. and Glasser, M. F. and Bateman, R. and Holtzman, D. and Yakushev, I. and Chhatwal, J. and Day, G. S. and others},
title = {{Regional age-related atrophy after screening for preclinical alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Neurobiology of aging},
year = {2022},
doi = {10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.09.010},
pmid = {34655980},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.09.010}
}
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Key findings
- When modeling age with the estimated derivative of smoothed aging curves, we found that the temporal lobe declined linearly with age, subcortical regions declined faster at later ages, and frontal regions declined slower at later ages than during midlife.
- This age-derivative pattern was distinct from the linear measure of age-related atrophy and significantly associated with a measure of myelin.
Why it matters
In a cross-sectional group aged 18 to 88 who were free of preclinical Alzheimer disease by amyloid PET and three years of follow-up, age-related atrophy occurred in nearly all brain regions, with different patterns across the temporal, subcortical and frontal areas. This describes normal aging effects and does not treat, cure or prevent Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 48/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for 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 (Neurobiology of aging) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Neurobiology of Aging: journal h-index 263 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 3 / 5 | 2022 — within 6 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 | 3 / 7 | Cited 25 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 4.2 citations a year over 6 year(s) since 2022 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.1× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 14 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Tammie L.S. Benzinger: h-index 98 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 3 / 3 | Harvard University: institution h-index 3,235 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 9 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 34655980) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 48 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
- DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.09.010
- PubMed: 34655980
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
Full text: free to read — PubMed Central lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 10 Oct 2026).
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