The multifactorial nature of healthy brain ageing: Brain changes, functional decline and protective factors

Sonia Turrini; Bonnie Wong; Mark Eldaief; Daniel Z Press; David A Sinclair; Giacomo Koch; Alessio Avenanti; Emiliano Santarnecchi

doi:10.1016/j.arr.2023.101939

The multifactorial nature of healthy brain ageing: Brain changes, functional decline and protective factors

Ageing Res Rev. 2023 Jul:88:101939. doi: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101939. Epub 2023 Apr 27.

Authors

Sonia Turrini¹, Bonnie Wong², Mark Eldaief³, Daniel Z Press⁴, David A Sinclair⁵, Giacomo Koch⁶, Alessio Avenanti⁷, Emiliano Santarnecchi⁸

Affiliations

¹ Precision Neuroscience & Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, Cesena, Italy.
² Neuropsychology Program, Frontotemporal Disorders Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA , USA; Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
³ Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁴ Department of Neurology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁵ Blavatnik Institute, Department of Genetics, Paul F. Glenn Center for Biology of ageing Research, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
⁶ Stroke Unit, Department of Systems Medicine, University of Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy; Department of Clinical and Behavioural Neurology, Santa Lucia Foundation IRCCS, Rome, Italy.
⁷ Centro studi e ricerche in Neuroscienze Cognitive, Dipartimento di Psicologia "Renzo Canestrari", Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna, Campus di Cesena, Cesena, Italy; Centro de Investigación en Neuropsicología y Neurociencias Cognitivas, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca, Chile.
⁸ Precision Neuroscience & Neuromodulation Program, Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. Electronic address: esantarnecchi@mgh.harvard.edu.

PMID: 37116664
DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2023.101939

Abstract

As the global population faces a progressive shift towards a higher median age, understanding the mechanisms underlying healthy brain ageing has become of paramount importance for the preservation of cognitive abilities. The first part of the present review aims to provide a comprehensive look at the anatomical changes the healthy brain endures with advanced age, while also summarizing up to date findings on modifiable risk factors to support a healthy ageing process. Subsequently, we describe the typical cognitive profile displayed by healthy older adults, conceptualizing the well-established age-related decline as an impairment of four main cognitive factors and relating them to their neural substrate previously described; different cognitive trajectories displayed by typical Alzheimer's Disease patients and successful agers with a high cognitive reserve are discussed. Finally, potential effective interventions and protective strategies to promote cognitive reserve and defer cognitive decline are reviewed and proposed.

Keywords: Brain health; Cognitive ageing; Cognitive reserve; Dementia; Healthy brain ageing.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

Aged
Alzheimer Disease*
Brain
Cognitive Dysfunction*
Cognitive Reserve*
Healthy Aging*
Humans
Protective Factors

Grants and funding

R01 AG060981/AG/NIA NIH HHS/United States