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. 2024 Dec 18;21(1):101.
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

Yosuke Hidaka  1 , Mamoru Hashimoto  2 , Takashi Suehiro  3 , Ryuji Fukuhara  4 , Tomohisa Ishikawa  5   6 , Naoko Tsunoda  6   7 , Asuka Koyama  8 , Kazuki Honda  7 , Yusuke Miyagawa  9 , Kazuhiro Yoshiura  10 , Seiji Yuuki  11 , Naoto Kajitani  6   12 , Shuken Boku  6 , Kazunari Ishii  13 , Manabu Ikeda  3 , Minoru Takebayashi  6
Affiliations

Association between choroid plexus volume and cognitive function in community-dwelling older adults without dementia: a population-based cross-sectional analysis

Yosuke Hidaka et al. Fluids Barriers CNS. .

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.

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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

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Comparison of brain MRI findings between normal morphology and DESH. T1-weighted MRI images are shown in the axial (left and center) and coronal (right) planes. The CP is indicated by arrows. a Female patient (66 years old), MMSE score: 30/30, VS volume = 0.0280, SF volume = 0.0127, SHM volume = 0.0360, CP volume = 0.0021. b Male (67 years old), MMSE score: 25/30, VS volume = 0.0406, SF volume = 0.0178, SHM volume = 0.0177, CP volume = 0.0034. DESH-related CSF spaces and CP volumes are normalized to the total intracranial volume. CP choroid plexus, DESH disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus, MMSE Mini-Mental State Examination, MRI magnetic resonance imaging, SF Sylvian fissure, SHM subarachnoid space at high convexity and midline, VS ventricular system
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Choroid plexus segmentation. Brain 3D T1-weighted MRI findings of a 72-year-old man (top) and the corresponding segmentation produced by FreeSurfer (bottom). For clarity, only two regions are highlighted here: the choroid plexus itself delineated in light blue and the ventricles in purple
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
VOI template for DESH-related regions. VOI templates illustrate the CSF volumes of the VS (a), SF (b), and SHM (c). DESH disproportionately enlarged subarachnoid space hydrocephalus, SF Sylvian fissure, SHM subarachnoid space at high convexity and midline, VOI voxel of interest, VS ventricular system
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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