Ja. Matochik et al., Age-related decline in striatal volume in monkeys as measured by magnetic resonance imaging, NEUROBIOL A, 21(4), 2000, pp. 591-598
Age-related declines in striatal markers for the dopamine system have been
demonstrated in several species. The current study investigated structural
changes during aging in the rhesus monkey striatum. Male monkeys were studi
ed using a volumetric spoiled gradient recall (SPGR) magnetic resonance ima
ging protocol. The caudate nucleus and putamen were segmented by manual tra
cing using landmarks made in the orthogonal planes. The whale brain volume
(defined as volume of gray and white matter plus cerebrospinal fluid in ven
tricles and sulci) was measured using a semi-automated algorithm. There was
no correlation between age and whole brain volume. There were age-related
declines in normalized (i.e. brain region/whole brain volume) caudate nucle
us and putamen volumes. Monkeys in the young,group (n = 7, 39-45 months old
) had larger volumes of both the caudate nucleus and putamen than animals i
n the middle-age (n = 5, 120-180 months) or old (it = 7, 291-360 months) gr
oups. The current results provide normative data to assess potential interv
entions (e.g. caloric restriction) in the aging process. (C) 2000 Elsevier
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