Impact of vestibular loss on central vestibular pathways in aging adults

前庭丧失对老年人中枢前庭通路的影响

• 批准号: 10990150
• 负责人: Yuri Agrawal
• 金额: $ 31.61万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO DENVER
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-09-15 至 2026-05-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10990150
• 关键词: Impact; vestibular; loss; central; pathways

Emerging research is providing compelling evidence that the vestibular system contributes not only to basic reflexes (e.g. vestibulo-ocular, postural) but also to complex cognitive processes including spatial memory and navigation; self-motion perception and motor planning; and executive function. Vestibular function declines with healthy aging, and studies from our group and others have shown that vestibular loss in aging adults is associated with known age-related reductions in cognitive skills including spatial memory and navigation ability, and self-motion perception and motor planning. In a pilot study supported by the NIDCD, we found that older adults with vestibular loss had reduced hippocampal volumes, as well as atrophy of subfields of the thalamus and the basal ganglia. During this pilot study, our group built a pipeline for analysis of neuroimaging data from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) at the Center for Imaging Science (CIS) in the Johns Hopkins Department of Biomedical Engineering. We established the computational infrastructure for both volumetric analysis and shape analysis. In this proposal, we seek to leverage this infrastructure to more comprehensively investigate the impact of aging on three core central vestibular pathways, and examine the link between structural changes in these pathways and functional changes in clinical skills mediated by these pathways. Specifically, we aim to: Aim 1 Investigate the relationship between peripheral vestibular sensory loss associated with aging and the structure of central vestibular pathways, specifically considering 3 primary central vestibular pathways: 1) spatial cognitive; 2) sensorimotor; 3) prefrontal cortex (executive function). Aim 2 Examine the longitudinal relationships between peripheral vestibular loss and structural changes in central vestibular pathways using longitudinal models and also the novel change-point model in aging adults. Aim 3 Explore the association between structural changes in central vestibular pathways and clinical functional changes cross-sectionally and longitudinally. This proposal represents a unique opportunity to leverage strengths in vestibular physiology and computational neuroimaging to increase our fundamental understanding of the impact of healthy aging on central vestibular networks, and associated clinical consequences. Findings from this study will be used to drive further critical research questions, including 1) Does vestibular loss contribute to the accelerated decline in cognitive ability and brain structure that occurs in individuals with cognitive impairment and Alzheimer’s disease; and 2) Can vestibular interventions for vestibular loss prevent/mitigate changes in central vestibular pathways?

新兴研究提供了令人信服的证据，表明前庭系统不仅对基本 反射（例如，前庭，姿势），但也适用于复杂的认知过程，包括空间记忆 和导航；自我运动感知和运动计划；和执行功能。前庭功能 随着健康的衰老而下降，我们小组和其他人的研究表明，衰老的前庭损失 成人与已知与年龄相关的认知技能降低有关，包括空间记忆和 导航能力以及自我运动感知和运动计划。在NIDCD支持的试点研究中， 我们发现，前庭损失的老年人的海马体积减少了 丘脑和基底神经节的子场。在这项试点研究中，我们的小组建立了一个用于分析的管道 来自巴尔的摩纵向研究（BLSA）的神经影像学数据 约翰·霍普金斯生物医学工程系的科学（CIS）。我们建立了 用于体积分析和形状分析的计算基础架构。在此提案中，我们寻求 利用该基础设施更全面地研究衰老对三个核心中心的影响 前庭途径，并检查这些途径中的结构变化与功能之间的联系 这些途径介导的临床技能的变化。具体来说，我们的目标是：目标1调查 与衰老相关的外围前庭感觉丧失与中央结构之间的关系 前庭途径，专门考虑3个主要的前庭途径：1）空间认知； 2） 感觉运动； 3）前额叶皮层（执行功能）。目标2检查纵向关系 使用纵向 模型以及衰老成年人的新变化点模型。 AIM 3探讨 中央前庭途径的结构变化和临床功能变化在横截面和 纵向。该建议代表了利用前庭生理优势的独特机会 和计算神经影像学以增加我们对健康衰老影响的基本理解 在中央前庭网络以及相关的临床后果上。该研究的发现将被使用 为了提出进一步的关键研究问题，包括1）前庭损失是否有助于加速 认知能力和大脑结构的下降，在认知障碍和 阿尔茨海默氏病； 2）前庭干预前庭损失可以预防/减轻变化 中央前庭途径？