Association between choroid plexus volume and cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults without dementia: a population-based cross-sectional analysis
- PMID: 39696504
- PMCID: PMC11654186
- DOI: 10.1186/s12987-024-00601-0
Association between choroid plexus volume and cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults without dementia: a population-based cross-sectional analysis
Abstract
Background: An increase in choroid plexus (CP) volume may be associated with cognitive decline in older individuals without dementia. In this study, we aimed to clarify whether CP volume can serve as an imaging marker of cognitive decline, determine how strongly CP volume is associated with cognitive decline, and explore factors associated with CP volume in older adults.
Methods: We measured CP volume, brain parenchyma, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) spaces associated with disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus (DESH), an imaging feature of normal-pressure hydrocephalus, in community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 65 years without dementia.
Results: In 1,370 participants, lower Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores were significantly associated with higher CP volume, even after adjusting for DESH-related CSF space and brain parenchymal volume. CP volume was more strongly associated with MMSE scores than DESH-related CSF space and brain parenchymal volume. History of smoking, white matter hyperintensity, enlarged perivascular spaces, age, body mass index, and diabetes mellitus were also associated with increased CP volume.
Conclusions: CP volume may be a highly sensitive imaging marker of cognitive decline in community-dwelling older adults without dementia, as it is linked to cognitive decline independently of brain parenchyma and CSF volumes. Our findings emphasize the importance of investigating CP volume increase to maintain cognitive function in older individuals. Accordingly, further longitudinal studies are required.
Keywords: Cerebrospinal fluid; Choroid plexus; Cognitive impairment.
© 2024. The Author(s).
Conflict of interest statement
Declarations. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics approval and consent to participate: The Research Ethics Committee of Kumamoto University (Kumamoto, Japan [approval number: GENOME-333]) approved this study. All participants provided written informed consent prior to data collection in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki. Consent for publication: Not applicable.
Figures



Similar articles
-
Enlarged choroid plexus is linked with poorer physical function in rural older adults: a population-based study.Fluids Barriers CNS. 2025 Apr 3;22(1):33. doi: 10.1186/s12987-025-00642-z. Fluids Barriers CNS. 2025. PMID: 40176085 Free PMC article.
-
Impact of age on the cerebrospinal fluid spaces: high-convexity and medial subarachnoid spaces decrease with age.Fluids Barriers CNS. 2022 Oct 28;19(1):82. doi: 10.1186/s12987-022-00381-5. Fluids Barriers CNS. 2022. PMID: 36307853 Free PMC article.
-
CSF dynamics as a predictor of cognitive progression.Neuroimage. 2021 May 15;232:117899. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2021.117899. Epub 2021 Feb 23. Neuroimage. 2021. PMID: 33631332 Free PMC article.
-
Oral frailty as a risk factor for mild cognitive impairment in community-dwelling older adults: Kashiwa study.Exp Gerontol. 2023 Feb;172:112075. doi: 10.1016/j.exger.2022.112075. Epub 2022 Dec 26. Exp Gerontol. 2023. PMID: 36581224 Review.
-
Imaging the Choroid Plexus.Mult Scler. 2024 Dec;30(5_suppl):24-29. doi: 10.1177/13524585241292965. Mult Scler. 2024. PMID: 39658900 Review.
Cited by
-
Region-informed machine learning model for choroid plexus segmentation in Alzheimer's disease.Front Aging Neurosci. 2025 Jul 23;17:1613320. doi: 10.3389/fnagi.2025.1613320. eCollection 2025. Front Aging Neurosci. 2025. PMID: 40771196 Free PMC article.
-
Assessing morphological changes in the choroid plexus between standing and supine positions using a rotatable MRI system.Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 1;15(1):22329. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-07985-5. Sci Rep. 2025. PMID: 40595273 Free PMC article.
-
Enlarged choroid plexus is linked with poorer physical function in rural older adults: a population-based study.Fluids Barriers CNS. 2025 Apr 3;22(1):33. doi: 10.1186/s12987-025-00642-z. Fluids Barriers CNS. 2025. PMID: 40176085 Free PMC article.
References
-
- Ghersi-Egea JF, Strazielle N, Catala M, Silva-Vargas V, Doetsch F, Engelhardt B. Molecular anatomy and functions of the choroidal blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier in health and disease. Acta Neuropathol. 2018;135:337–61. 10.1007/s00401-018-1807-1. - PubMed
-
- Silva-Vargas V, Maldonado-Soto AR, Mizrak D, Codega P, Doetsch F. Age-dependent niche signals from the choroid plexus regulate adult neural stem cells. Cell Stem Cell. 2016;19:643–52. 10.1016/j.stem.2016.06.013. - PubMed
MeSH terms
Grants and funding
- JP23dk0207053/the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
- JP23dk0207053/the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
- JP23dk0207053/the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
- JP23dk0207053/the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development
- 23K14803/the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources
Medical
Miscellaneous