Researchers at the Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute (Stevens INI) at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC) have discovered a protective function of the brain's superficial white matter that helps older adults stay mentally sharp for longer. The findings were published in the journal "Alzheimer's & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer's Association," according to ScienceDaily, reports infohub.kz.
The study involved 459 residents of India aged 60 and older. The data came from the LASI-DAD project, which examines aging in rural populations and among people with low levels of literacy.
Using advanced diffusion MRI, the research team led by Dr. Yingxu Liu and Professor Leon Axman assessed the condition of short nerve fibers that run directly beneath the gray cortex and connect neighboring parts of the brain. They found that the density of these local pathways correlates directly with the preservation of language and cognitive functions.
Although gray matter atrophy remains a key factor in mental decline, healthy superficial white matter compensates for these losses. Among participants with intact local connections, gray matter loss produced virtually no noticeable decline in intelligence.
The strongest link between white matter condition and language skills was seen in respondents with no education and in rural residents. According to Arthur Toga, director of Stevens INI, the study highlights the importance of taking social context and local neural connections into account when searching for ways to protect the brain from aging.