Study Shows Link Between Brain Size And Apathy
Study Shows Link Between Brain Size And Apathy
According to a recent study published this Wednesday in the journal of Neurology a link between a shrinking brain and apathy has been made. According to the researchers in the Netherlands who studied the brains of approximately 4,300 seniors, people who show at least two symptoms of apathy like lack of interest and general enthusiasm for example, also have a smaller brain volume than people who had fewer or no apathy symptoms.
The researchers took into consideration two important parts of the brain, grey matter and white matter. Grey matter is where memories are stored while white matter plays a major role in the way the brain communicates. According to the result of the study, apathetic individuals have smaller amounts of both grey and white matter.
Researchers also concluded that apathetic individuals showed the same signs of brain shrinkage even without being diagnosed with depression, which is usually associated with decreased brain volume.
While the study managed to prove a link, more testing is needed with researchers being unable to say if apathy causes brain shrinkage or if it is the other way around and brain shrinkage may cause apathetic symptoms. Some medical professionals suspect that apathy could be a signal for a serious generative disease, cognitive impairment or even depression.
According to a recent study published this Wednesday in the journal of Neurology a link between a shrinking brain and apathy has been made. According to the researchers in the Netherlands who studied the brains of approximately 4,300 seniors, people who show two symptoms of apathy like lack of interest and general enthusiasm for example, also had a smaller brain volume than people who had fewer or no apathy symptoms.
The researchers took into consideration two important parts of the brain, grey matter and white matter. Grey matter is where memories are stored while white matter plays a major role in the way the brain communicates. According to the result of the study, apathetic individuals have smaller amounts of both grey and white matter.
Researchers also concluded that apathetic individuals showed the same signs of brain shrinkage even without being diagnosed with depression, which is usually associated with decreased brain volume.
While the study managed to prove a link, more testing is needed with researchers being unable to say if apathy causes brain shrinkage or if it is the other way around. Some medical professionals suspect that apathy could be a signal for a serious generative disease, cognitive impairment or even depression.
Posted by
George Daniels
on Sunday April 20 2014, 8:37 AM EDT.
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