Yang Xingwang, Zeng Weiyi, Estrada Santiago, Breteler Monique M B, Aziz N Ahmad
Population Health Sciences, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.
Population Health Sciences, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany; AI in Medical Imaging, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Bonn, Germany.
EBioMedicine. 2025 Jun;116:105771. doi: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2025.105771. Epub 2025 May 21.
Although an association between brain atrophy and decreased fine motor function has been reported, results from previous studies are inconsistent. We aimed to investigate whether decreased fine motor function is reflected in age- and sex-associated changes in brain structure across the adult lifespan in a large community dwelling cohort study.
The Rhineland Study is an on-going population-based prospective cohort study in Bonn, Germany. We used cross-sectional data from the first 8318 participants of the Rhineland Study (age range: 30-95 years), who underwent baseline assessments between March 2016 and November 2022. A digital spiral drawing test was utilised to evaluate fine motor skills: tracing precision (deviation area), tracing velocity, and frequency of tremor. Brain volumetric and cortical thickness measures were obtained from 3T T1 MRI scans. The relationship between brain structure and fine motor function was examined with multivariable regression, while adjusting for age, sex, education, smoking status and grip strength.
Smaller volumes and/or thinner cortices in several brain regions were associated with decreased tracing precision (higher tracing deviation area) and higher tremor frequency, including total brain volume (tracing area: β = -0.108, 95% CI = -0.180 to -0.037; tremor frequency: β = -0.077, 95% CI = -0.164 to -0.011), hippocampal volume (tracing area: β = -0.052, 95% CI = -0.089 to -0.015), and cortical thickness of the precentral gyrus (tracing area: β = -0.052, 95% CI = -0.082 to -0.023). Smaller total cerebellar volume (β = 0.061, 95% CI = 0.022-0.100) and total cerebellar grey matter volume (β = 0.060, 95% CI = 0.022-0.099) were both associated with lower tracing velocity. Women performed significantly better on all three dimensions of fine motor function, but age-associated changes in fine motor function did not differ between sexes.
Our findings indicate that fine motor function is worse in older adults, and is better in women. Moreover, changes in total brain volume and the thickness of several key motor cortices are robustly related to fine motor function, with the strongest effect for tracing precision.
Helmholtz Association DZNE institutional funds, Alzheimer's Association Research Grant (Award Number: AARG-19-616534), China Scholarship Council (Number: 202108080131), and European Research Council Starting Grant (Number: 101041677).
尽管已有报道称脑萎缩与精细运动功能下降之间存在关联，但先前研究的结果并不一致。在一项针对大量社区居住人群的队列研究中，我们旨在调查在成年期整个寿命范围内，精细运动功能下降是否反映在与年龄和性别相关的脑结构变化中。
莱茵兰研究是德国波恩一项正在进行的基于人群的前瞻性队列研究。我们使用了莱茵兰研究中前8318名参与者（年龄范围：30 - 95岁）的横断面数据，这些参与者在2016年3月至2022年11月期间接受了基线评估。采用数字螺旋绘图测试来评估精细运动技能：追踪精度（偏差面积）、追踪速度和震颤频率。通过3T T1 MRI扫描获得脑容量和皮质厚度测量值。在调整年龄、性别、教育程度、吸烟状况和握力的同时，使用多变量回归研究脑结构与精细运动功能之间的关系。
几个脑区体积较小和/或皮质较薄与追踪精度下降（较高的追踪偏差面积）和较高的震颤频率相关，包括全脑体积（追踪面积：β = -0.108，95%置信区间 = -0.180至 -0.037；震颤频率：β = -0.077，95%置信区间 = -0.164至 -0.011）、海马体积（追踪面积：β = -0.052，95%置信区间 = -0.089至 -0.015）以及中央前回皮质厚度（追踪面积：β = -0.052，95%置信区间 = -0.082至 -0.023）。较小的小脑总体积（β = 0.061，95%置信区间 = 0.022 - 0.100）和小脑总灰质体积（β = 0.060，95%置信区间 = 0.022 - 0.099）均与较低的追踪速度相关。女性在精细运动功能的所有三个维度上表现明显更好，但精细运动功能与年龄相关的变化在性别之间没有差异。
我们的研究结果表明，老年人的精细运动功能较差，而女性的精细运动功能较好。此外，全脑体积和几个关键运动皮质厚度的变化与精细运动功能密切相关，对追踪精度的影响最强。
亥姆霍兹协会DZNE机构基金、阿尔茨海默病协会研究资助（资助编号：AARG - 19 - 616534）、中国国家留学基金管理委员会（编号：202108080131）以及欧洲研究理事会启动资助（编号：101041677）。
