Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38810596›Full record

ArticleNeurobiology of aging2024

Testing the structural disconnection hypothesis: Myelin content correlates with memory in healthy aging.

Andrea Mendez Colmenares, Michael L Thomas, Charles Anderson, David B Arciniegas, Vince Calhoun, In-Young Choi, Arthur F Kramer, Kaigang Li, Jongho Lee, Phil Lee and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Neurobiology of aging, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Molecular and Clinical Considerations for Anesthesia in the Aging Brain.International journal of molecular sciences · 2025
    Review
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  4. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Andrea Mendez ColmenaresThe BRAiN lab, Department of Human Development and Family Studies/Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Colorado State University, Behavioral Sciences Building, 303, 410 W Pitkin St, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Michael L ThomasDepartment of Psychology, Colorado State University, Behavioral Sciences Building, 303, 410 W Pitkin, St, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
Charles AndersonDepartment of Computer Science, Colorado State University, 456 University Ave #444, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA.
David B ArciniegasMarcus Institute for Brain Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, 12348 E Montview Blvd, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
Vince CalhounTri-institutional Center for Translational Research in Neuroimaging and Data Science (TReNDS), Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Emory, 55 Park Pl NE, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA.
In-Young ChoiDepartment of Neurology, Department of Radiology, Hoglund Biomedical Imaging Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3805 Eaton St, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA.
Arthur F KramerBeckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at the University of Illinois, 405 N Mathews Ave, Urbana, IL 61801, USA; Center for Cognitive & Brain Health, Northeastern University, Address: 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Kaigang LiDepartment of Health and Exercise Science, Colorado State University, 951 W Plum St, Fort Collins, CO 80521, USA.
Jongho LeeDepartment of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Seoul National University, 232 Gongneung-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01811, South Korea.
Phil LeeDepartment of Radiology, Hoglund Biomedical Imaging Center, University of Kansas Medical Center, 3805 Eaton St, Kansas City, KS 66103, USA.
Agnieszka Z BurzynskaThe BRAiN lab, Department of Human Development and Family Studies/Molecular, Cellular and Integrative Neurosciences, Colorado State University, Behavioral Sciences Building, 303, 410 W Pitkin St, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA. Electronic address: agaburza@colostate.edu.

Funding

New approach to studying white matter aging: symmetric multimodal fusion of MRI techniques targeting different biophysical properties of white matterR21AG068939 · NIA · COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY · PI BURZYNSKA, AGNIESZKA · 2021 to 2022
$403k
NIA NIH HHS R21 AG068939
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe "structural disconnection" hypothesis of cognitive aging suggests that deterioration of white matter (WM), especially myelin, results in cognitive decline, yet in vivo evidence is inconclusive.

methodsWe examined age differences in WM microstructure using Myelin Water Imaging and Diffusion Tensor Imaging in 141 healthy participants (age 20-79). We used the Virginia Cognitive Aging Project and the NIH Toolbox® to generate composites for memory, processing speed, and executive function.

resultsVoxel-wise analyses showed that lower myelin water fraction (MWF), predominantly in prefrontal WM, genu of the corpus callosum, and posterior limb of the internal capsule was associated with reduced memory performance after controlling for age, sex, and education. In structural equation modeling, MWF in the prefrontal white matter and genu of the corpus callosum significantly mediated the effect of age on memory, whereas fractional anisotropy (FA) did not. DISCUSSION: Our findings support the disconnection hypothesis, showing that myelin decline contributes to age-related memory loss and opens avenues for interventions targeting myelin health.

Indexed as

Diffusion Tensor ImagingHealthy AgingMemoryMyelin SheathWhite MatterAdultAgedAgingCognitive AgingCorpus CallosumFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedYoung AdultAgingCognitionDisconnectionExecutive FunctionsMemoryMyelinSpeedStructuralWater

Identifiers

PMID38810596
PMCPMC11290458

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.