Age recognizable on images of the brain

MRI images of the brain reveal age

17/08/2012

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) imaging allows images of the brain that not only detect disease and injury, but can also be used to chart the patient's age. US scientists at the University of California at San Diego have developed software that uses MRI scans to determine a person's age relatively precisely.

Like the research team around Timothy Brown from the Department of Neuroscience at the University of California (San Diego) in the journal „Current Biology“ According to reports, their specially developed computer program has determined the age of young people with an accuracy of more than 90 percent on the basis of the MRI images. In her opinion, a photo of the brain could be sufficient in the future to predict the age of patients with relative precision.

Biological signature of the brain allows conclusions about the age
The American researchers had in the study evaluated the magnetic resonance imaging of 885 people between the ages of three and 20 years. They determined 231 biomarkers in the human brain that change with age. The temporal changes of these biological features fed them into a special software, which is able to perceive and evaluate all biomarkers at the same time. The biomarkers give an age-appropriate signature of the brain, so to speak, with the computer program with an accuracy of 92 percent can determine the age - at least in young patients.

Brain maturation in tight temporal orbits
Although previous studies have already identified some biomarkers that allow for conclusions about the age of the brain, Timothy Brown's US researchers have at first succeeded in considering and evaluating all factors simultaneously. This allowed them to make very precise statements about the actual age of the patients. They also found that the maturation of the brain apparently took much less time than previously thought. In children of one age, the average difference in the period of brain maturation was only about one year, Brown and colleagues report in the scientific paper „Neuroanatomical assessment of biological maturity“.

Recognize diseases and malformations early
The effect that the change in biomarkers could have on cognitive abilities and behavior is largely unclear. However, the US scientists were convinced that their „Study impact on brain medicine and research“ In the future, with the help of their method, malformations, neurodegenerative diseases, and other conspicuous changes in the brain may also be detected. (Fp)

Also read:
Fitness in old age depends on genes
Fitness of the brain: aging processes measurable

Image: Dieter Schütz