Apathy in Alzheimer's disease: Eye movements characteristics and neurostructural basis.

Background: We sought to evaluate the characteristics of eye movements in Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients with apathy (AD-A) and their ability to identify AD-A and explore the shared neurostructure of eye movements and apathy.

Methods: Total 32 normal controls, 36 AD-A and 72 AD with no apathy (AD-NA) patients were recruited. Parameters of smooth pursuit, fixation, prosaccade and antisaccade were compared among the three groups.

Mapping the aging brain: Insights into microstructural changes from free water-corrected fractional anisotropy.

Aging has a significant impact on brain structure, demonstrated by numerous MRI studies using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). While these studies reveal changes in fractional anisotropy (FA) across different brain regions, they tend to focus on white matter tracts and cognitive regions, often overlooking gray matter and motor areas. Additionally, traditional DTI metrics can be affected by partial volume effects.

New physiological insights using multi-TE ASL MRI measuring blood-brain barrier water exchange after caffeine intake.

Objectives: Caffeine, a known neurostimulant and adenosine antagonist, affects brain physiology by decreasing cerebral blood flow. It interacts with adenosine receptors to induce vasoconstriction, potentially disrupting brain homeostasis. However, the impact of caffeine on blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability to water remains underexplored.

Pediatric, adult, and late onset multiple sclerosis: Cognitive phenotypes and gray matter atrophy.

Objectives: We aim to investigate cognitive phenotype distribution and MRI correlates across pediatric-, elderly-, and adult-onset MS patients as a function of disease duration.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we enrolled 1262 MS patients and 238 healthy controls, with neurological and cognitive assessments. A subset of 222 MS patients and 92 controls underwent 3T-MRI scan for brain atrophy and lesion analysis.

Associations of Maternal Prenatal Zinc Consumption with Infant Brain Tissue Organization and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes.

Background/objectives: While studies in rat pups suggest that early zinc exposure is critical for optimal brain structure and function, associations of prenatal zinc intake with measures of brain development in infants are unknown. This study aimed to assess the associations of maternal zinc intake during pregnancy with MRI measures of brain tissue microstructure and neurodevelopmental outcomes, as well as to determine whether MRI measures of the brain mediated the relationship between maternal zinc intake and neurodevelopmental indices.

Methods: Forty-one adolescent mothers were recruited for a longitudinal study during pregnancy.