| Episodic memory decline is one of the earliest cognitive signs of Alzheimer’s dementia but also occurs in clinically normal elderly. The ability to form memories for novel events is supported by brain regions within the medial temporal lobe that are early and differentially affected by age-related pathologies such as tau neurofibrillary tangles. By combining molecular imaging (PET) with functional, structural and vascular MRI, our group aims to understand how specific memory pathways are disrupted in old age and Alzheimer’s disease. The use of high-resolution functional and structural MRI at 7T allows us to study memory networks and their dysfunction at the level of hippocampal-entorhinal subregions. We also aim to better understand which factors underlie or impact brain plasticity to develop efficient exercise and cognitive intervention that promote healthy aging. |
