Neuroimaging, clinical and life course correlates of normal-appearing white matter integrity in 70-year-olds

Abstract We investigate associations between normal-appearing white matter microstructural integrity in cognitively normal ∼70-year-olds and concurrently measured brain health and cognition, demographics, genetics and life course cardiovascular health. Participants born in the same week in March 1946 (British 1946 birth cohort) underwent PET-MRI around age 70. Mean standardized normal-appearing white matter integrity metrics (fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, neurite density index and orientation dispersion index) were derived from diffusion MRI. Linear regression was used to test associations between normal-appearing white matter metrics and (i) concurrent measures, including whole brain volume, white matter hyperintensity volume, PET amyloid and cognition; (ii) the influence of demographic and genetic predictors, including sex, childhood cognition, education, socio-economic position and genetic risk for Alzheimer’s disease (APOE-ɛ4); (iii) systolic and diastolic blood pressure and cardiovascular health (Framingham Heart Study Cardiovascular Risk Score) across adulthood. Sex interactions were tested. Statistical significance included false discovery rate correction (5%). Three hundred and sixty-two participants met inclusion criteria (mean age 70, 49% female). Higher white matter hyperintensity volume was associated with lower fractional anisotropy [b = −0.09 (95% confidence interval: −0.11, −0.06), P < 0.01], neurite density index [b = −0.17 (−0.22, −0.12), P < 0.01] and higher mean diffusivity [b = 0.14 (−0.10, −0.17), P < 0.01]; amyloid (in men) was associated with lower fractional anisotropy [b = −0.04 (−0.08, −0.01), P = 0.03)] and higher mean diffusivity [b = 0.06 (0.01, 0.11), P = 0.02]. Framingham Heart Study Cardiovascular Risk Score in later-life (age 69) was associated with normal-appearing white matter {lower fractional anisotropy [b = −0.06 (−0.09, −0.02) P < 0.01], neurite density index [b = −0.10 (−0.17, −0.03), P < 0.01] and higher mean diffusivity [b = 0.09 (0.04, 0.14), P < 0.01]}. Significant sex interactions (P < 0.05) emerged for midlife cardiovascular health (age 53) and normal-appearing white matter at 70: marginal effect plots demonstrated, in women only, normal-appearing white matter was associated with higher midlife Framingham Heart Study Cardiovascular Risk Score (lower fractional anisotropy and neurite density index), midlife systolic (lower fractional anisotropy, neurite density index and higher mean diffusivity) and d