Multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), detecting brain structural and functional changes, has emerged as a powerful and promising technique to study individual's brain, as T1-weighted scans can detect morphometric features, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) scans can quantify structural connectivity, and functional MRI can capture the features of functional connectivity. Notably, with the advances in quantitative methods, computational models of brain age and brain-predicted age difference (brain-PAD) detecting the ageing effects on individual's brain features are becoming increasingly popular in clinical studies, which might revolutionize the diagnostic and prognostic phonotypes of age-related brain diseases globally.
The score of brain-PAD has threefold explanations: a. negative score representing decelerated brain ageing (brain age\<chronological age); b. positive score representing accelerated brain ageing (brain age\>chronological age); c. score equal to zero, representing normal brain ageing (brain age=chronological age). The score of brain-PAD indicates the brain ageing pattern with the interaction of lifestyle and cognitive status at individual level. For example, based on structural MRI scans, a younger brain age or a negative score of brain-PAD was found to be associated with better cognition, which indicates the potential utilities of brain age matrices in predicting individual's cognitive maintenance and healthy longevity
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
300
Tai Po Hospital
Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Estimated brain age
Using the structural and functional connectivity, individual's brain age is calculated based on the connectivity features of core brain networks.
Time frame: Baseline
Cognitive maintenance
The dynamic change of cognitive status is used to evaluate cognitive maintenance. The performance of global cognition is used to determine the cognitive status, including mild neurocognitive disorder (NCD) and major NCD. The global cognition is measured by mini-mental state examination (MMSE).
Time frame: Baseline
Plasma β-amyloid
The levels of Aβ42 and Aβ40 in the plasma samples will be quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.
Time frame: Baseline
Brain-predicted age difference (brain-PAD)
The brain-PAD score is computed as the difference between estimated brain age and chronological age (brain age minus chronological age).
Time frame: Baseline
Complex attention
Attention network test (ANT) is an individually administered computerized task designed to evaluate three attentional components.
Time frame: Baseline
Memory and learning
Word list learning test consisting of fifteen semantically non-associated words that is presented consecutively over three trials of immediate recall and a 20-min delayed recall.
Time frame: Baseline
Executive function
Executive function is measured by the category verbal fluency test (CVFT).
Time frame: Baseline
This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.