Brain atrophy occurs with the loss of neurons or the connections between them. Some degree of atrophy is a normal part of aging, but pathological conditions, such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease, also feature atrophy as a symptom. Common scanning techniques, such as magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography, can detect brain atrophy.
Alzheimer's Disease
Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia that affects up to 50 percent of Americans aged 85 or older, according to 2006 information from the World Health Organization. Symptoms include confusion, memory changes, and difficulty with completing familiar tasks. In late stage Alzheimer's disease, significant atrophy of the brain has occurred, causing enlarged ventricles, as well as increased spaces between the folds of the brain.
Parkinson's Disease
Brain atrophy can also accompany Parkinson's disease, a movement disorder that affects approximately 1.6 percent of the population over age 65, according to the results of a study published in the January 2010 edition of the journal "Neuroepidemiology" and authored by Allison Wright Willis, M.D., et al. In a study reported in January 2004 in the journal "Brain," Dr. Emma J. Burton found that compared to age-matched controls, patients with Parkinson's disease have significantly lower gray matter volume in their frontal lobes. These differences were detected using magnetic resonance imaging brain scans.
Brain Atrophy Associated with Aging
In a 1981 article published in the "British Journal of Radiology" Dr. M. Ito reported an analysis of brain atrophy in 130 brains of normal people using computed tomography and a special method for calculating brain, bone, and fluid volumes. The results of the study showed that cerebral spinal fluid volume increases from 16 mL in people aged 20 to 39 years old, to 71 mL in people in their 70s; this change was accompanied by statistically significant decreased brain volume.
References
- World Health Organization Facts and Figures on Alzheimer's Disease
- 10 Signs of Alzheimer's Disease
- "Brain"; Cerebral atrophy in Parkinson's disease with and without dementia: a comparison with Alzheimer's disease, dementia with Lewy bodies and controls; Dr. Emma J. Burton, et al; January 28,2004
- "British Journal of Radiology"; Age-related brain atrophy and mental deterioration---a study with computed tomography; M Ito, MD, et al; May 1981
- "Neuroepidemiology"; Geographic and Ethnic Variation in Parkinson Disease: A Population-Based Study of US Medicare Beneficiaries; Allison Wright Willis, M.D.; January 15, 2010
