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，证明前庭系统不仅有助于基本功能 反射（例如前庭眼反射、姿势反射）以及复杂的认知过程，包括空间记忆 和导航；自我运动感知和运动规划；以及执行功能。 随着健康衰老而下降，我们小组和其他人的研究表明，随着年龄的增长，前庭功能的丧失 成年人与已知的与年龄相关的认知技能下降有关，包括空间记忆和 在 NIDCD 支持的一项试点研究中， 我们发现，患有前庭丧失的老年人的海马体积减少，并且大脑萎缩。 在这项试点研究中，我们的小组建立了一个分析管道。 来自成像中心巴尔的摩纵向衰老研究 (BLSA) 的神经影像数据 约翰霍普金斯大学生物医学工程系的科学（CIS）我们建立了。 在本提案中，我们寻求体积分析和形状分析的计算基础设施。 利用这一基础设施更全面地调查老龄化对三个核心中枢的影响 前庭通路，并检查这些通路的结构变化和功能之间的联系 具体而言，我们的目标是： 目标 1 调查 衰老相关外周前庭感觉丧失与中枢结构的关系 前庭通路，特别考虑 3 个主要的中枢前庭通路：1) 空间认知；2) 感觉运动；3) 前额皮质（执行功能） 目标 2 检查纵向关系。 使用纵向研究外周前庭损失与中央前庭通路结构变化之间的关系 目标 3 探索老年人之间的关联。 中央前庭通路的结构变化和临床功能的横断面变化 从纵向来看，该提案代表了利用前庭生理学优势的独特机会。 和计算神经影像，以增进我们对健康老龄化影响的基本了解 将使用本研究的结果。 推动进一步的关键研究问题，包括 1) 前庭损失是否会导致加速 认知能力和大脑结构的下降发生在有缺陷的个体中 阿尔茨海默病；2) 前庭干预可以预防/减轻前庭功能的改变吗？ 中枢前庭通路？