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4.3.7. Neuroimaging Studies
Knowing the morphological variations occurring in brain structure throughout life is essential to assess the corresponding pathological changes that occur in neu- rodegenerative diseases. In this context, neuroimaging techniques such as mag- netic resonance imaging (MRI) have led to significant progress in understanding brain changes associated with age.
MRI is a noninvasive tool that allows the study of normal aging individuals at dif- ferent moments of his life. However, conventional MRI techniques are unable to detect and quantify age-dependent microstructural changes who have been de- scribed in post-mortem studies of brain tissue. Accordingly, the project aims to conduct a series of studies based on various MRI modern techniques that can provide volumetric quantitative indexes of the morphological changes.
In this regard VBM (voxel-based morphometry techniques), based on creating sta- tistical comparisons of gray and white matter patterns are the method of choice in research. The discriminatory power of volumetry in degenerative pathologies such as Alzheimer’s disease (volumetric reduction in amygdala, hippocampus, en- torhinal cortex, etc.) decreases if age-dependent morphological changes are not well established in control samples, so that it is critical to have large, well quanti- fied samples.
Structural Study (3D volumetry, T2 and FLAIR)
Determining the progressive loss of brain volume during aging, especially in white matter provides volumetric quantitative indexes of the morphological aging-as- sociated changes. In this sense, the VBM (Voxel-Based Morphometry) techniques, based on creating statistical comparisons of gray and white matter patterns con- stitute the method of choice, and allows us to determine the volume reduction of the amygdala, hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, etc.
Diffusion Study (b: 800)
White matter, partly due to Wallerian degeneration and partly to reduced connec- tivity by decreased cortical activity, presents ultrastructural changes that can be detected with diffusion techniques (DTI).
Brain Perfusion Study
LCerebral perfusion related to cortical activity may be assessed -without needing to inject contrast-through MR sequences (Arterial Spin Labelling, ASL) and there- fore hypofunctioning areas will present decreased perfusion.
Throughout 2015 all Neuroradiology reports from every subject and each of the visits from the ‘Vallecas Project’ have been incorporated in the single project data- base. Text reports have been encoded, incorporating each item to the database, as well as attaching the report of each visit in pdf format, enabling viewing and downloading to all researchers who have access to the database.
4. The Vallecas Project
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