Regional Differences in Blood-Brain Barrier Permeability in Cognitively Normal Elderly Subjects: A Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI-Based Study

Abstract

Our study demonstrated regional differences in BBB permeability (K_trans) in cognitively normal elderly adults using a clinically acceptable 10-minutes DCE imaging protocol. The regional differences suggest that the integrity of the BBB varies across the brains of cognitively normal elderly adults. We recommend considering regional differences in K_trans values when evaluating BBB permeability in patients with neurodegenerative diseases.