美国南加州大学凯克医学院的研究人员发现，大脑中短距离神经通路（浅层白质）的完整性可能在保护老年人认知功能方面发挥关键作用1。该研究对459名60岁及以上的印度社区成人进行了脑成像和认知测试，结果表明浅层白质状况良好的参与者在语言测试中表现更优异，这种优势可能有助于抵消与年龄相关的灰质萎缩对认知能力的负面影响1。
研究发表在《阿尔茨海默病与痴呆症：阿尔茨海默病协会杂志》2026年第22卷第7期1。参与者中超过50%的人识字率较低，约60%居住在农村地区1。研究发现，浅层白质与语言能力的关联在识字困难、无正规教育和农村人群中最为显著1。虽然灰质萎缩仍是认知能力的最强整体预测因子，但其对认知的影响程度取决于相邻浅层白质的健康状况1。该项研究由美国国立卫生研究院下属多个机构资助1。
Researchers at the Keck School of Medicine of USC have identified a protective mechanism in the aging brain that may shield older adults from cognitive decline caused by age-related gray matter loss.1 The study, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia: Alzheimer's Association Journal in 2026, Volume 22, Issue 7, reveals that the integrity of shallow white matter—short-range neural pathways connecting nearby brain regions—appears to mitigate the negative effects of gray matter shrinkage on cognitive function.1
The investigation examined 459 community-dwelling adults aged 60 and older in India, subjecting participants to brain imaging and cognitive assessments.1 Among the study population, more than 50 percent had low literacy rates, and approximately 60 percent lived in rural areas.1 Individuals with better shallow white matter integrity performed more favorably on language tests, and this protective effect was particularly pronounced among people with limited literacy, no formal education, and those residing in rural communities.1 While gray matter atrophy remains the strongest overall predictor of cognitive ability, the extent of its cognitive impact depends significantly on the health of adjacent shallow white matter.1 The research was supported by multiple institutes within the National Institutes of Health.1
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