Age-related differences of cerebellar cortex and nuclei: MRI findings healthy controls and its application to spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA6) patients

Understanding cerebellar alterations due to healthy aging provides a reference point against which pathological findings in late-onset disease, for example spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6), can be contrasted. In the present study, we investigated the impact of aging on the cerebellar nuclei and cerebellar cortex in 109 healthy controls (age range: 16 - 78 years) using 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Findings were compared with 25 SCA6 patients (age range: 38 - 78 years). A subset of 16 SCA6 (included: 14) patients and 50 controls (included: 45) received an additional MRI scan at 7 Tesla and were re-scanned after one year. MRI included T1-weighted, T2-weighted FLAIR, and multi-echo T2 *-weighted imaging. The T2 *-weighted phase images were converted to quantitative susceptibility maps (QSM). Since the cerebellar nuclei are characterized by elevated iron content

Automated summary

This study used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate the impact of aging on the cerebellar nuclei and cortex. The findings were compared with patients suffering from spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA6). Additional MRI scans were conducted on a subset of patients and controls after one year. The conversion of T2 *-weighted phase images to quantitative susceptibility maps (QSM) allowed for the detection of changes in iron content in the cerebellar nuclei.