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Klinische Neurophysiologie 2024; 55(01): 16-22
DOI: 10.1055/a-2252-2148
Originalarbeit

Alter und Neurodegeneration in der Bildgebung

Insights into Aging and Neurodegeneration with Imaging Modalities
Gérard Bischof
1   Nuklearmedizin, Uniklinik Köln, Köln, Germany
2   INM-2, Forschungszentrum Juelich, Juelich, Germany
,
Merle Hoenig
1   Nuklearmedizin, Uniklinik Köln, Köln, Germany
2   INM-2, Forschungszentrum Juelich, Juelich, Germany
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Zusammenfassung

Das Wort „Altern“ nutzen wir in unserem alltäglichen Leben als einfachen Begriff zur Beschreibung von Veränderungen, die mit der Zeit auftreten. Das Wort stammt von den germanischen Ableitungen „ala“ - „wachsen, nähren“ und *aldra - „Lebensalter“. Somit umfasst der Begriff des Alterns einen multifaktoriellen Prozess, der im frühen und mittleren Lebensalter durch das „Wachsen und Nährens“ des Gehirns geprägt ist, und im späteren Lebensalter durch degenerative Prozesse, welche wiederrum durch die Ansammlung von altersbedingten Proteinen und dem Absterben von Neuronen bedingt sind. Zwar unterliegt jeder Mensch solchen Alterungsprozessen, jedoch resultieren sie dennoch in einer hohen interindividuellen Varianz des Gehirnalterns und der kognitiven Fähigkeiten. Eine extreme Abweichung vom normalen Gehirnalterungsprozess stellt dabei das pathologische Altern dar, wie zum Beispiel bei der Alzheimer Erkrankung. Im Gegenzug gibt es Individuen, bei denen der Gehirnalterungsprozess scheinbar verlangsamt ist und welche trotz eines sehr hohen Alters weiterhin die kognitiven Fähigkeiten von jüngeren Personen aufweisen, sogenannte „Super-Ager“. Im Folgenden werden wir dieses Kontinuum des Gehirnalterungsprozesses beschreiben sowie die Bildgebungsmethoden, die bereits verwendet werden, um die zugrundeliegenden Mechanismen zu untersuchen.

Abstract

We use the word “aging” in our everyday lives as a simple term to describe changes that occur over time. Yet, the concept of aging encompasses a multifactorial process that is characterized by the “growing and nourishing” of the brain in early and middle age, and in later life by degenerative processes, which in turn are caused by the accumulation of age-related proteins and subsequent neuronal death. Although every person is subject to such aging processes, there are high inter-individual variances in brain aging and cognitive abilities. Pathological aging, such as Alzheimer’s disease, is an extreme deviation from the normal brain aging process. On the other hand, there are individuals, in whom the brain aging process appears to be slowed and who, despite their advanced age, continue to exhibit cognitive abilities similar to younger people, the so-called “super-agers”. Here, we will describe this continuum of brain aging and the imaging methods that are used to investigate the underlying mechanisms.

Schlüsselwörter

PET - MRT - Alzheimer - Altern - Reserve

Keywords

PET - MRI - Alzheimer’s disease - Aging - Reserve


Publication History

Article published online:
04 April 2024

© 2024. Thieme. All rights reserved.

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