Subcortical volumes across the lifespan: data from 18,605 healthy individuals aged 3-90 years

Age has a major effect on brain volume. However, the normative studies available are constrained by small sample sizes, restricted age coverage and significant methodological variability. These limitations introduce inconsistencies and may obscure or distort the lifespan trajectories of brain morphometry. In response, we capitalized on the resources of the Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium to examine age-related trajectories inferred from cross-sectional measures of the ventricles, the basal ganglia (caudate, putamen, pallidum, and nucleus accumbens), the thalamus, hippocampus and amygdala using magnetic resonance imaging data obtained from 18,605 individuals aged 3-90 years. All subcortical structure volumes were at their maximum value early in life. The volume of the basal ganglia showed a monotonic negative association with age thereafter; there was no significant association between age and the volumes of the thalamus, amygdala and the hippocampus (with some degree of decline in thalamus) until the sixth decade of life after which they also showed a steep negative association with age. The lateral ventricles showed continuous enlargement throughout the lifespan. Age was positively associated with inter-individual variability in the hippocampus and amygdala and the lateral ventricles. These results were robust to potential confounders and could be used to examine the functional significance of deviations from typical age-related morphometric patterns.Education and Child Studie

Carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition of different strains of <i>Artemia</i> sp.

Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios have been determined on 41 strains of Artemia sp. from different geographic regions around the world. The delta 13C and delta 15N values ranged between -13.7 to -25.0 per mil and -0.7 to 21.2 per mil respectively. Artemia delta 13C values from coastal environments are consistent with a marine origin for the food source. Artemia from inland salt lakes have a range of carbon isotope values suggesting C3, C4 and CAM based organic matter could form the base of the Artemia food chain. These data indicate that Artemia having a wide range of carbon and nitrogen isotope values are available for trophodynamic research studies that quantify the effect of respired CO2 on tissue and CaCO3 shell 13C/12C ratios. Such stable isotope variation also suggests that stable isotope fingerprinting remains a viable technique for identifying specific Artemia collection sites