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The Longitudinal Trajectory of Default Mode Network Connectivity in Healthy Older Adults Varies As a Function of Age and Is Associated with Changes in Episodic Memory and Processing Speed
Staffaroni AM, Brown JA, Casaletto KB, Elahi FM, Deng J, Neuhaus J, Cobigo Y, Mumford PS et al.. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience, 2018-02-13
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The default mode network (DMN) supports memory functioning and may be sensitive to preclinical Alzheimer's pathology. Little is known, however, about the longitudinal trajectory of this network's intrinsic functional connectivity (FC). In this study, we evaluated longitudinal FC in 111 cognitively normal older human adults (ages 49-87, 46 women/65 men), 92 of whom had at least three task-free fMRI scans ( n = 353 total scans). Whole-brain FC and three DMN subnetworks were assessed: (1) within-DMN, (2) between anterior and posterior DMN, and (3) between medial temporal lobe network and posterior DMN. Linear mixed-effects models demonstrated significant baseline age × time interactions, indicating a nonlinear trajectory. There was a trend toward increasing FC between ages 50-66 and significantly accelerating declines after age 74. A similar interaction was observed for whole-brain FC. APOE status did not predict baseline connectivity or change in connectivity. After adjusting for network volume, changes in within-DMN connectivity were specifically associated with changes in episodic memory and processing speed but not working memory or executive functions. The relationship with processing speed was attenuated after covarying for white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and whole-brain FC, whereas within-DMN connectivity remained associated with memory above and beyond WMH and whole-brain FC. Whole-brain and DMN FC exhibit a nonlinear trajectory, with more rapid declines in older age and possibly increases in connectivity early in the aging process. Within-DMN connectivity is a marker of episodic memory performance even among cognitively healthy older adults. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Default mode network and whole-brain connectivity, measured using task-free fMRI, changed nonlinearly as a function of age, with some suggestion of early increases in connectivity. For the first time, longitudinal changes in DMN connectivity were shown to correlate with changes in episodic memory, whereas volume changes in relevant brain regions did not. This relationship was not accounted for by white matter hyperintensities or mean whole-brain connectivity. Functional connectivity may be an early biomarker of changes in aging but should be used with caution given its nonmonotonic nature, which could complicate interpretation. Future studies investigating longitudinal network changes should consider whole-brain changes in connectivity.
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APA 7th
Staffaroni, A. M., Brown, J. A., Casaletto, K. B., Elahi, F. M., Deng, J., Neuhaus, J., et al. (2018). The Longitudinal Trajectory of Default Mode Network Connectivity in Healthy Older Adults Varies As a Function of Age and Is Associated with Changes in Episodic Memory and Processing Speed. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.3067-17.2018
Vancouver
Staffaroni AM, Brown JA, Casaletto KB, Elahi FM, Deng J, Neuhaus J, et al. The Longitudinal Trajectory of Default Mode Network Connectivity in Healthy Older Adults Varies As a Function of Age and Is Associated with Changes in Episodic Memory and Processing Speed. The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience. 2018. doi:10.1523/jneurosci.3067-17.2018. PMID: 29440553.
BibTeX
@article{staffaroni2018-29440553,
author = {Staffaroni, A. M. and Brown, J. A. and Casaletto, K. B. and Elahi, F. M. and Deng, J. and Neuhaus, J. and Cobigo, Y. and Mumford, P. S. and others},
title = {{The Longitudinal Trajectory of Default Mode Network Connectivity in Healthy Older Adults Varies As a Function of Age and Is Associated with Changes in Episodic Memory and Processing Speed}},
journal = {The Journal of neuroscience : the official journal of the Society for Neuroscience},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1523/jneurosci.3067-17.2018},
pmid = {29440553},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.3067-17.2018}
}
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Key findings
- Linear mixed-effects models demonstrated significant baseline age × time interactions, indicating a nonlinear trajectory.
- There was a trend toward increasing FC between ages 50-66 and significantly accelerating declines after age 74.
- After adjusting for network volume, changes in within-DMN connectivity were specifically associated with changes in episodic memory and processing speed but not working memory or executive functions.
- The relationship with processing speed was attenuated after covarying for white matter hyperintensities (WMH) and whole-brain FC, whereas within-DMN connectivity remained associated with memory above and beyond WMH and whole-brain FC.
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Study details
- Study designlongitudinal study
- Participants353
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 62/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a longitudinal study following the same people over time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on journal's citation record, times cited, citations per year, impact for its field and year, cited by studies here, still being cited, senior author's track record, institution's track record and multi-centre collaboration, so those were left out: it earned 36 of the 58 points we could judge it on, which is 62 out of 100.
| 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 | No journal record from OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Study design | 7 / 12 | A longitudinal study following the same people over 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 | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 353 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | — / 7 | No citation count (not found in OpenAlex) — left out of this score |
| Citations per year | — / 5 | No citation count or no year — left out of this score |
| Impact for its field and year | — / 6 | No field-weighted citation impact (OpenAlex has none yet) — left out of this score |
| Cited by studies here | — / 6 | Not yet checked against this library's citation graph — left out of this score |
| Still being cited | — / 4 | No yearly citation counts — left out of this score |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | Senior author's record not available — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | — / 3 | No institution listed in OpenAlex — left out of this score |
| Multi-centre collaboration | — / 3 | Institutions not listed — left out of this score |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 29440553) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Points | 36 / 58 | Scored on 11 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 36 of the 58 points we could judge it on is 62 out of 100. |
| Total | 62 / 100 | — |
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