Project 3: Aging and the Brain

A study to investigate metabolic changes in the brain with normal aging.

Glutathione (GSH) is the primary defense against oxidative stress through its role in reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the body, and its levels have been shown to be lower in both metabolic disease and aging. In this study, we sought to determine whether GSH levels in the human brain are lower in older individuals and whether these levels are associated with metabolic changes that come with age, such as increasing insulin resistance. Using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) and functional MRI, we are seeking to find connections between levels of GSH and other symptoms of aging. Our early findings indicate that amongst older individuals, increased insulin resistance is associated with diminished intracerebral GSH levels as well as visual-spatial cognitive deficits. These findings suggest that intracerebral GSH levels may be a useful marker for assessing the impact of metabolic dysfunction on neurocognitive function.