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Asymmetric thinning of the cerebral cortex across the adult lifespan is accelerated in Alzheimer’s disease

Author

Listed:
  • James M. Roe

    (University of Oslo)

  • Didac Vidal-Piñeiro

    (University of Oslo)

  • Øystein Sørensen

    (University of Oslo)

  • Andreas M. Brandmaier

    (Max Planck Institute for Human Development)

  • Sandra Düzel

    (Max Planck Institute for Human Development)

  • Hector A. Gonzalez

    (University of Texas)

  • Rogier A. Kievit

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Ethan Knights

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Simone Kühn

    (Max Planck Institute for Human Development
    University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf)

  • Ulman Lindenberger

    (Max Planck Institute for Human Development
    Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research)

  • Athanasia M. Mowinckel

    (University of Oslo)

  • Lars Nyberg

    (Umeå University)

  • Denise C. Park

    (University of Texas)

  • Sara Pudas

    (Umeå University)

  • Melissa M. Rundle

    (University of Texas)

  • Kristine B. Walhovd

    (University of Oslo
    Oslo University Hospital)

  • Anders M. Fjell

    (University of Oslo
    Oslo University Hospital)

  • René Westerhausen

    (University of Oslo)

Abstract

Aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are associated with progressive brain disorganization. Although structural asymmetry is an organizing feature of the cerebral cortex it is unknown whether continuous age- and AD-related cortical degradation alters cortical asymmetry. Here, in multiple longitudinal adult lifespan cohorts we show that higher-order cortical regions exhibiting pronounced asymmetry at age ~20 also show progressive asymmetry-loss across the adult lifespan. Hence, accelerated thinning of the (previously) thicker homotopic hemisphere is a feature of aging. This organizational principle showed high consistency across cohorts in the Lifebrain consortium, and both the topological patterns and temporal dynamics of asymmetry-loss were markedly similar across replicating samples. Asymmetry-change was further accelerated in AD. Results suggest a system-wide dedifferentiation of the adaptive asymmetric organization of heteromodal cortex in aging and AD.

Suggested Citation

  • James M. Roe & Didac Vidal-Piñeiro & Øystein Sørensen & Andreas M. Brandmaier & Sandra Düzel & Hector A. Gonzalez & Rogier A. Kievit & Ethan Knights & Simone Kühn & Ulman Lindenberger & Athanasia M. M, 2021. "Asymmetric thinning of the cerebral cortex across the adult lifespan is accelerated in Alzheimer’s disease," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-11, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:12:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-021-21057-y
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21057-y
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    Cited by:

    1. Max Korbmacher & Dennis Meer & Dani Beck & Ann-Marie G. de Lange & Eli Eikefjord & Arvid Lundervold & Ole A. Andreassen & Lars T. Westlye & Ivan I. Maximov, 2024. "Brain asymmetries from mid- to late life and hemispheric brain age," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    2. Zhiqiang Sha & Dick Schijven & Amaia Carrion-Castillo & Marc Joliot & Bernard Mazoyer & Simon E. Fisher & Fabrice Crivello & Clyde Francks, 2021. "The genetic architecture of structural left–right asymmetry of the human brain," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 5(9), pages 1226-1239, September.

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