Differences in Total Brain Volume between Sexes in a Cognitively Unimpaired Elderly Population

Autor(es)

Marina Buchpiguel ; Pedro Rosa ^[2] ; Paula Squarzoni ^[3] ; Fabio L.S. Duran ^[4] ; Jaqueline H. Tamashiro-Duran ^[5] ; Claudia C. Leite ^[6] ; Paulo Lotufo ^[7] ; Marcia Scazufca ^[8] ; Tania C.T.F. Alves ^[9] ; Geraldo F. Busatto ^[10]

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: Clinics; v. 75, 2020-12-09.

Resumo

OBJECTIVES: Although a large number of studies have shown brain volumetric differences between men and women, only a few investigations have analyzed brain tissue volumes in representative samples of the general elderly population. We investigated differences in gray matter (GM) volumes, white matter (WM) volumes, and intracranial volumes (ICVs) between the sexes in individuals older than 66 years using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS: Using FreeSurfer version 5.3, we obtained the ICVs and GM and WM volumes from the MRI datasets of 84 men and 92 women. To correct for interindividual variations in ICV, GM and WM volumes were adjusted with a method using the residuals of a least-square-derived linear regression between raw volumes and ICVs. We then performed an analysis of covariance comparing men and women, including age and years of schooling as confounding factors. RESULTS: Women had a lower socioeconomic status overall and fewer years of schooling than men. The comparison of unadjusted brain volumes showed larger GM and WM volumes in men. After the ICV correction, the adjusted volumes of GM and WM were larger in women. CONCLUSION: After the ICV correction and taking into account differences in socioeconomic status and years of schooling, our results confirm previous findings of proportionally larger GM in women, as well as larger WM volumes. These results in an elderly population indicate that brain volumetric differences between sexes persist throughout the aging process. Additional studies combining MRI and other biomarkers to identify the hormonal and molecular bases influencing such differences are warranted. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 04/15336-5 - Alterações cerebrais associadas a fatores de risco cardiovascular: um estudo de base populacional usando morfometria voxel-a-voxel por ressonância magnética e medidas de metabolismo de glicose por tomografia por emissão de pósitrons
• Beneficiário: Geraldo Busatto Filho
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 13/03231-3 - Padrões de atrofia cortical e déficits cognitivos associados ao envelhecimento saudável: um estudo de seguimento por ressonância magnética estrutural
• Beneficiário: Paula Squarzoni da Silveira
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado