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@ARTICLE{Yang:278932,
author = {Yang, Xingwang and Zeng, Weiyi and Estrada Leon, Edgar
Santiago and Breteler, Monique and Aziz, N. Ahmad},
title = {{A}ssociation between brain structure and fine motor
function: findings from the population-based {R}hineland
{S}tudy.},
journal = {EBioMedicine},
volume = {116},
issn = {2352-3964},
address = {Amsterdam [u.a.]},
publisher = {Elsevier},
reportid = {DZNE-2025-00658},
pages = {105771},
year = {2025},
abstract = {Although an association between brain atrophy and decreased
fine motor function has been reported, results from previous
studies are inconsistent. We aimed to investigate whether
decreased fine motor function is reflected in age- and
sex-associated changes in brain structure across the adult
lifespan in a large community dwelling cohort study.The
Rhineland Study is an on-going population-based prospective
cohort study in Bonn, Germany. We used cross-sectional data
from the first 8318 participants of the Rhineland Study (age
range: 30-95 years), who underwent baseline assessments
between March 2016 and November 2022. A digital spiral
drawing test was utilised to evaluate fine motor skills:
tracing precision (deviation area), tracing velocity, and
frequency of tremor. Brain volumetric and cortical thickness
measures were obtained from 3T T1 MRI scans. The
relationship between brain structure and fine motor function
was examined with multivariable regression, while adjusting
for age, sex, education, smoking status and grip
strength.Smaller volumes and/or thinner cortices in several
brain regions were associated with decreased tracing
precision (higher tracing deviation area) and higher tremor
frequency, including total brain volume (tracing area: β =
-0.108, $95\%$ CI = -0.180 to -0.037; tremor frequency: β =
-0.077, $95\%$ CI = -0.164 to -0.011), hippocampal volume
(tracing area: β = -0.052, $95\%$ CI = -0.089 to -0.015),
and cortical thickness of the precentral gyrus (tracing
area: β = -0.052, $95\%$ CI = -0.082 to -0.023). Smaller
total cerebellar volume (β = 0.061, $95\%$ CI =
0.022-0.100) and total cerebellar grey matter volume (β =
0.060, $95\%$ CI = 0.022-0.099) were both associated with
lower tracing velocity. Women performed significantly better
on all three dimensions of fine motor function, but
age-associated changes in fine motor function did not differ
between sexes.Our findings indicate that fine motor function
is worse in older adults, and is better in women. Moreover,
changes in total brain volume and the thickness of several
key motor cortices are robustly related to fine motor
function, with the strongest effect for tracing
precision.Helmholtz Association DZNE institutional funds,
Alzheimer's Association Research Grant (Award Number:
AARG-19-616534), China Scholarship Council (Number:
202108080131), and European Research Council Starting Grant
(Number: 101041677).},
keywords = {Brain imaging analysis (Other) / Brain structure (Other) /
Fine motor function (Other) / MRI (Other) / Spiral drawing
test (Other)},
cin = {AG Aziz / AG Breteler / AG Reuter},
ddc = {610},
cid = {I:(DE-2719)5000071 / I:(DE-2719)1012001 /
I:(DE-2719)1040310},
pnm = {354 - Disease Prevention and Healthy Aging (POF4-354)},
pid = {G:(DE-HGF)POF4-354},
experiment = {EXP:(DE-2719)Rhineland Study-20190321},
typ = {PUB:(DE-HGF)16},
pubmed = {pmid:40403697},
doi = {10.1016/j.ebiom.2025.105771},
url = {https://pub.dzne.de/record/278932},
}