Age-related Changes in Locus Ceruleus on Neuromelanin Magnetic Resonance Imaging at 3 Tesla
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- SHIBATA Eri
- Department of Radiology, Iwate Medical University Department of Neuropsychiatry, Iwate Medical University
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- SASAKI Makoto
- Department of Radiology, Iwate Medical University
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- TOHYAMA Koujiro
- Center for EM and Bio-Imaging Research, Iwate Medical University
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- KANBARA Yoshiyuki
- Center for Radiological Sciences, Iwate Medical University
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- OTSUKA Kotaro
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Iwate Medical University
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- EHARA Shigeru
- Department of Radiology, Iwate Medical University
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- SAKAI Akio
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Iwate Medical University
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Abstract
Purpose: To investigate age-related changes in the locus ceruleus (LC) in healthy subjects using neuromelanin magnetic resonance (MR) imaging at 3 Tesla.<br> Methods: We examined 64 healthy volunteers (aged 23 to 80 years) using neuromelanin-sensitive T1-weighted images and measured the contrast of areas of high signal intensity corresponding to the LC.<br> Results: A pair of punctate areas of high signal intensity that represented neuromelanin within the noradrenergic neurons of the LC was easily recognized in all subjects. The contrast ratio of the LC to the adjacent pontine tegmentum increased to the age of 40 to 59 years and gradually and significantly decreased in elderly subjects. This correlates well with pathologically proven age-related changes in neuromelanin content within the LC.<br> Conclusion: Age-related variance should be considered when determining the existence of abnormalities in the LC.<br>
Journal
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- Magnetic Resonance in Medical Sciences
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Magnetic Resonance in Medical Sciences 5 (4), 197-200, 2006
Japanese Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine
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Details 詳細情報について
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- CRID
- 1390282680172866304
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- NII Article ID
- 10018514774
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- NII Book ID
- AA11648770
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- ISSN
- 18802206
- 13473182
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- Text Lang
- en
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- Data Source
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- JaLC
- Crossref
- CiNii Articles
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- Abstract License Flag
- Disallowed