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Hippocampal Atrophy Relates to Fluid Intelligence Decline in the Elderly

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 November 2010

Aaron Reuben ,
Adam M. Brickman ,
Jordan Muraskin ,
Jason Steffener  and
Yaakov Stern
Aaron Reuben
Affiliation:
Cognitive Neuroscience Division of the Taub Institute, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
Adam M. Brickman
Affiliation:
Cognitive Neuroscience Division of the Taub Institute, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
Jordan Muraskin
Affiliation:
Cognitive Neuroscience Division of the Taub Institute, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
Jason Steffener
Affiliation:
Cognitive Neuroscience Division of the Taub Institute, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
Yaakov Stern*
Affiliation:
Cognitive Neuroscience Division of the Taub Institute, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, New York
*
Correspondence and reprint requests to: Yaakov Stern, 630 W 168th Street, P&S Box 16, New York, NY 10032. E-mail: ys11@columbia.edu
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Abstract

Measures of brain and hippocampal volume in 40 healthy young (aged 18–30 years) and 36 healthy elderly (aged 60–83 years) subjects were compared with composite cognitive function scores in three conceptual domains: memory ability, processing speed, and general fluid intelligence. Through a series of general linear models testing the relationship between these brain measures and cognitive performance scores, a significant positive relationship between hippocampal volume and fluid intelligence ability was found in elderly subjects but not in young. No relationship between the other cognitive domains and brain or hippocampal volume was found. The findings suggest a role of hippocampal atrophy in the decline in fluid intelligence in the elderly. (JINS, 2011, 17, 000–000)

Keywords

AgingHippocampusBrain atrophyCognitive declineFluid intelligenceMemory
Type
Research Articles
Information
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society , Volume 17 , Issue 1 , January 2011 , pp. 56 - 61
Copyright
Copyright © The International Neuropsychological Society 2010

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Footnotes

The present study was supported by NIA R01 AG26158.

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