Brain white matter integrity and cortisol in older men: the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

Simon R Cox; Mark E Bastin; Karen J Ferguson; Susana Munoz-Maniega; Sarah E MacPherson; Ian J Deary; Joanna M Wardlaw; Alasdair M J MacLullich

doi:10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.06.022

Brain white matter integrity and cortisol in older men: the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

Simon R Cox, Mark E Bastin, Karen J Ferguson, Susana Munoz-Maniega, Sarah E MacPherson, Ian J Deary, Joanna M Wardlaw, Alasdair M J MacLullich

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Elevated glucocorticoid (GC) levels are hypothesized to be deleterious to some brain regions, including white matter (WM). Older age is accompanied by increased between-participant variation in GC levels, yet relationships between WM integrity and cortisol levels in older humans are underexplored. Moreover, it is unclear whether GC-WM associations might be general or pathway specific. We analyzed relationships between salivary cortisol (diurnal and reactive) and general measures of brain WM hyperintensity (WMH) volume, fractional anisotropy (gFA), and mean diffusivity (gMD) in 90 males, aged 73 years. Significant associations were predominantly found between cortisol measures and WMHs and gMD but not gFA. Higher cortisol at the start of a mild cognitive stressor was associated with higher WMH and gMD. Higher cortisol at the end was associated with greater WMHs. A constant or increasing cortisol level during cognitive testing was associated with lower gMD. Tract-specific bases of these associations implicated anterior thalamic radiation, uncinate, and arcuate and inferior longitudinal fasciculi. The cognitive sequelae of these relationships, above other covariates, are a priority for future study.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	257-264
Number of pages	8
Journal	Neurobiology of Aging
Volume	36
Issue number	1
Early online date	28 Jun 2014
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.06.022
Publication status	Published - 2015

Keywords

Cortisol
Glucocorticoid
White matter
Aging
Brain structure
Tractography
HIPPOCAMPAL DENTATE GYRUS
FRACTIONAL ANISOTROPY
ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE
SALIVARY CORTISOL
ELDERLY-PEOPLE
STRESS
TRACTOGRAPHY
DEPRESSION
HEALTH
AXIS

Access to Document

10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.06.022

Brain white matter integrity
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8 Finished

Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology Phase 2.
Maclullich, A.
1/09/13 → 31/08/19
Project: Research
RA2661 Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology Phase 2. Main Budget.
Deary, I., Gale, C., Holmes, M., Logie, R., Maclullich, A., Porteous, D., Seckl, J., Starr, J., Wardlaw, J. & Okely, J.
1/09/13 → 31/08/19
Project: Research
Brain White mater imaging and cognitive ageing in the Lothian Birth Cohort of 1936:II
Deary, I., Bastin, M., Penke, L., Starr, J. & Wardlaw, J.
MRC
8/06/11 → 7/03/15
Project: Research

1 Participation in conference

21st IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics
Simon R. Cox (Invited speaker)
26 Jul 2017
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference

Alasdair Maclullich
- Deanery of Molecular, Genetic and Population Health Sciences - Chair of Geriatric Medicine
- Usher Institute - Chair of Geriatric Medicine
- Centre for Population Health Sciences
- Division of Health Sciences
- Geriatric Medicine
- Edinburgh Neuroscience
Person: Academic: Research Active

Cite this

@article{7ab10eb51e17493aa102d9f16bcee41c,

title = "Brain white matter integrity and cortisol in older men: the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936",

abstract = "Elevated glucocorticoid (GC) levels are hypothesized to be deleterious to some brain regions, including white matter (WM). Older age is accompanied by increased between-participant variation in GC levels, yet relationships between WM integrity and cortisol levels in older humans are underexplored. Moreover, it is unclear whether GC-WM associations might be general or pathway specific. We analyzed relationships between salivary cortisol (diurnal and reactive) and general measures of brain WM hyperintensity (WMH) volume, fractional anisotropy (gFA), and mean diffusivity (gMD) in 90 males, aged 73 years. Significant associations were predominantly found between cortisol measures and WMHs and gMD but not gFA. Higher cortisol at the start of a mild cognitive stressor was associated with higher WMH and gMD. Higher cortisol at the end was associated with greater WMHs. A constant or increasing cortisol level during cognitive testing was associated with lower gMD. Tract-specific bases of these associations implicated anterior thalamic radiation, uncinate, and arcuate and inferior longitudinal fasciculi. The cognitive sequelae of these relationships, above other covariates, are a priority for future study.",

keywords = "Cortisol, Glucocorticoid, White matter, Aging, Brain structure, Tractography, HIPPOCAMPAL DENTATE GYRUS, FRACTIONAL ANISOTROPY, ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE, SALIVARY CORTISOL, ELDERLY-PEOPLE, STRESS, TRACTOGRAPHY, DEPRESSION, HEALTH, AXIS",

author = "Cox, {Simon R} and Bastin, {Mark E} and Ferguson, {Karen J} and Susana Munoz-Maniega and MacPherson, {Sarah E} and Deary, {Ian J} and Wardlaw, {Joanna M} and MacLullich, {Alasdair M J}",

year = "2015",

doi = "10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.06.022",

language = "English",

volume = "36",

pages = "257--264",

journal = "Neurobiology of Aging",

issn = "0197-4580",

publisher = "Elsevier Inc.",

number = "1",

}

Brain white matter integrity and cortisol in older men : the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936. / Cox, Simon R ; Bastin, Mark E ; Ferguson, Karen J ; Munoz-Maniega, Susana ; MacPherson, Sarah E ; Deary, Ian J ; Wardlaw, Joanna M ; MacLullich, Alasdair M J.

In: Neurobiology of Aging, Vol. 36, No. 1, 2015, p. 257-264.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Brain white matter integrity and cortisol in older men

T2 - the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

AU - Cox, Simon R

AU - Bastin, Mark E

AU - Ferguson, Karen J

AU - Munoz-Maniega, Susana

AU - MacPherson, Sarah E

AU - Deary, Ian J

AU - Wardlaw, Joanna M

AU - MacLullich, Alasdair M J

PY - 2015

Y1 - 2015

N2 - Elevated glucocorticoid (GC) levels are hypothesized to be deleterious to some brain regions, including white matter (WM). Older age is accompanied by increased between-participant variation in GC levels, yet relationships between WM integrity and cortisol levels in older humans are underexplored. Moreover, it is unclear whether GC-WM associations might be general or pathway specific. We analyzed relationships between salivary cortisol (diurnal and reactive) and general measures of brain WM hyperintensity (WMH) volume, fractional anisotropy (gFA), and mean diffusivity (gMD) in 90 males, aged 73 years. Significant associations were predominantly found between cortisol measures and WMHs and gMD but not gFA. Higher cortisol at the start of a mild cognitive stressor was associated with higher WMH and gMD. Higher cortisol at the end was associated with greater WMHs. A constant or increasing cortisol level during cognitive testing was associated with lower gMD. Tract-specific bases of these associations implicated anterior thalamic radiation, uncinate, and arcuate and inferior longitudinal fasciculi. The cognitive sequelae of these relationships, above other covariates, are a priority for future study.

AB - Elevated glucocorticoid (GC) levels are hypothesized to be deleterious to some brain regions, including white matter (WM). Older age is accompanied by increased between-participant variation in GC levels, yet relationships between WM integrity and cortisol levels in older humans are underexplored. Moreover, it is unclear whether GC-WM associations might be general or pathway specific. We analyzed relationships between salivary cortisol (diurnal and reactive) and general measures of brain WM hyperintensity (WMH) volume, fractional anisotropy (gFA), and mean diffusivity (gMD) in 90 males, aged 73 years. Significant associations were predominantly found between cortisol measures and WMHs and gMD but not gFA. Higher cortisol at the start of a mild cognitive stressor was associated with higher WMH and gMD. Higher cortisol at the end was associated with greater WMHs. A constant or increasing cortisol level during cognitive testing was associated with lower gMD. Tract-specific bases of these associations implicated anterior thalamic radiation, uncinate, and arcuate and inferior longitudinal fasciculi. The cognitive sequelae of these relationships, above other covariates, are a priority for future study.

KW - Cortisol

KW - Glucocorticoid

KW - White matter

KW - Aging

KW - Brain structure

KW - Tractography

KW - HIPPOCAMPAL DENTATE GYRUS

KW - FRACTIONAL ANISOTROPY

KW - ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

KW - SALIVARY CORTISOL

KW - ELDERLY-PEOPLE

KW - STRESS

KW - TRACTOGRAPHY

KW - DEPRESSION

KW - HEALTH

KW - AXIS

U2 - 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.06.022

DO - 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2014.06.022

M3 - Article

C2 - 25066239

VL - 36

SP - 257

EP - 264

JO - Neurobiology of Aging

JF - Neurobiology of Aging

SN - 0197-4580

IS - 1

ER -

Brain white matter integrity and cortisol in older men: the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology Phase 2.

RA2661 Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology Phase 2. Main Budget.

Brain White mater imaging and cognitive ageing in the Lothian Birth Cohort of 1936:II

21st IAGG World Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics

Alasdair Maclullich

Cite this