TY - JOUR

T1 - Callosal tissue loss parallels subtle decline in psychomotor speed. A longitudinal quantitative MRI study. The LADIS Study

AU - Jokinen, Hanna

AU - Frederiksen, Kristian S

AU - Garde, Ellen

AU - Skimminge, Arnold

AU - Siebner, Hartwig

AU - Waldemar, Gunhild

AU - Ylikoski, Raija

AU - Madureira, Sofia

AU - Verdelho, Ana

AU - van Straaten, Elizabeth C W

AU - Barkhof, Frederik

AU - Fazekas, Franz

AU - Schmidt, Reinhold

AU - Pantoni, Leonardo

AU - Inzitari, Domenico

AU - Erkinjuntti, Timo

N1 - Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PY - 2012

Y1 - 2012

N2 - Cross-sectional studies have suggested that corpus callosum (CC) atrophy is related to impairment in global cognitive function, mental speed, and executive functions in the elderly. Longitudinal studies confirming these findings have been lacking. We investigated whether CC tissue loss is associated with change in cognitive performance over time in subjects with age-related white matter lesions (WML). Two-hundred-fifty-three subjects, aged 65-84 years, were evaluated by using repeated MRI and neuropsychological evaluation at baseline and after 3 years. The effect of overall and regional CC tissue loss on cognitive decline was analyzed with hierarchical linear regression models. After controlling for age, sex, education, and baseline cognitive performance, the rates of tissue loss in the total CC area, and in rostrum/genu and midbody subregions were significantly associated with decline in a compound measure of cognitive speed and motor control, but not in those of executive functions, memory, or global cognitive function. Total CC area and midbody remained significant predictors of speed also after adjusting for baseline WML volume, WML progression, and global brain atrophy. However, the relationship between anterior CC and speed performance was mediated by WML volume. In conclusion, the overall and regional rate of CC tissue loss parallels longitudinal slowing of psychomotor performance. The adverse effect of CC tissue loss on psychomotor function may be driven by altered interhemispheric information transfer between homologous cortical areas.

AB - Cross-sectional studies have suggested that corpus callosum (CC) atrophy is related to impairment in global cognitive function, mental speed, and executive functions in the elderly. Longitudinal studies confirming these findings have been lacking. We investigated whether CC tissue loss is associated with change in cognitive performance over time in subjects with age-related white matter lesions (WML). Two-hundred-fifty-three subjects, aged 65-84 years, were evaluated by using repeated MRI and neuropsychological evaluation at baseline and after 3 years. The effect of overall and regional CC tissue loss on cognitive decline was analyzed with hierarchical linear regression models. After controlling for age, sex, education, and baseline cognitive performance, the rates of tissue loss in the total CC area, and in rostrum/genu and midbody subregions were significantly associated with decline in a compound measure of cognitive speed and motor control, but not in those of executive functions, memory, or global cognitive function. Total CC area and midbody remained significant predictors of speed also after adjusting for baseline WML volume, WML progression, and global brain atrophy. However, the relationship between anterior CC and speed performance was mediated by WML volume. In conclusion, the overall and regional rate of CC tissue loss parallels longitudinal slowing of psychomotor performance. The adverse effect of CC tissue loss on psychomotor function may be driven by altered interhemispheric information transfer between homologous cortical areas.

U2 - 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2012.03.020

DO - 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2012.03.020

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 22497753

VL - 50

SP - 1650

EP - 1655

JO - Neuropsychologia

JF - Neuropsychologia

SN - 0028-3932

IS - 7

ER -