Su Feng-Yi, Chen Jyun-Ru, Chen Chun-Ming, Huang Yen-Chih, Peng Shin-Lei
Department of Medical Imaging, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung 404333, Taiwan.
Department of Biomedical Imaging and Radiological Science, China Medical University, Taichung 404333, Taiwan.
Brain Sci. 2021 Mar 31;11(4):447. doi: 10.3390/brainsci11040447.
Knowing the patterns of brain differences with age in the young population could lead to a better understanding of the causes of certain psychiatric disorders; however, relevant information is insufficient. Here, a pattern of regional gray matter (GM) that changed with age in a young cohort aged 20-30 years was provided. Extending from previous age studies, all participants were imaged at both 1.5 T and 3 T to address the question of how far the field strength influences results. Fifty-nine young participants aged 20-30 years were scanned at both 1.5 T and 3 T. Voxel-based morphometry (VBM) was used to estimate the GM volume. Some brain regions showed a significant field strength-dependent difference in GM volume. VBM uncovered a significantly age-related increase in the GM volume in the left visual-associated area at 3 T, which was not detected at 1.5 T. In addition, voxels at 1.5 T that revealed a significant age-related reduction in the GM volume were found in the right cerebellum. In conclusion, age-related differences in human brain morphology could even be detected in a young cohort aged 20-30 years; however, the results varied across field strengths. Thus, field strength should be considered an important factor when comparing age-specific brain differences across studies.
了解年轻人群中大脑随年龄变化的差异模式，有助于更好地理解某些精神疾病的病因；然而，相关信息并不充分。在此，我们给出了一组年龄在20至30岁的年轻人中随年龄变化的脑区灰质（GM）模式。在前人年龄研究的基础上进行拓展，所有参与者均在1.5 T和3 T磁场强度下进行成像，以探讨磁场强度对结果的影响程度。59名年龄在20至30岁的年轻参与者在1.5 T和3 T磁场强度下均接受了扫描。基于体素的形态学测量（VBM）被用于估计灰质体积。一些脑区在灰质体积上显示出显著的磁场强度依赖性差异。VBM发现，在3 T磁场强度下，左侧视觉相关区域的灰质体积有显著的与年龄相关的增加，而在1.5 T磁场强度下未检测到这一现象。此外，在1.5 T磁场强度下，右侧小脑发现了一些灰质体积有显著的与年龄相关减少的体素。总之，即使在20至30岁的年轻人群中也能检测到与年龄相关的人脑形态差异；然而，结果因磁场强度而异。因此，在比较不同研究中特定年龄的脑差异时，应将磁场强度视为一个重要因素。
