Maternal age affects brain metabolism in adult children of mothers affected by Alzheimer's disease.

Publication Type	Academic Article
Authors	Mosconi L, Tsui W, Murray J, McHugh P, Li Y, Williams S, Pirraglia E, Glodzik L, De Santi S, Vallabhajosula S, de Leon M
Journal	Neurobiol Aging
Volume	33
Issue	3
Pagination	624.e1-9
Date Published	04/22/2011
ISSN	1558-1497
Keywords	Alzheimer Disease, Brain, Maternal Age
Abstract	Cognitively normal (NL) individuals with a maternal history of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (MH) show reduced brain glucose metabolism on FDG-PET as compared to those with a paternal history (PH) and those with negative family history (NH) of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This FDG-PET study investigates whether metabolic deficits in NL MH are associated with advancing maternal age at birth. Ninety-six NL individuals with FDG-PET were examined, including 36 MH, 24 PH, and 36 NH. Regional-to-whole brain gray matter standardized FDG uptake value ratios were examined for associations with parental age across groups using automated regions-of-interest and statistical parametric mapping. Groups were comparable for clinical and neuropsychological measures. Brain metabolism in AD-vulnerable regions was lower in MH compared to NH and PH, and negatively correlated with maternal age at birth only in MH. There were no associations between paternal age and metabolism in any group. Evidence for a maternally inherited, maternal age-related mechanism provides further insight on risk factors and genetic transmission in late-onset AD.
DOI	10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2011.03.003
PubMed ID	21514691
PubMed Central ID	PMC3155000