Brain Connectome of exceptional longevity: magnetic resonance imaging of (near) centenarians in Hong Kong 超長壽的神經特徵：香港近百歲老人和百歲老人的多模態磁共振成像

Near centenarians and centenarians seem to be able to delay dementia pathologic changes. They are an informative and unique cohort to better understand the protective factors conferring resistance to age-related cognitive declines. However, the neural mechanisms of exceptional longevity in this valuable cohort are not well understood. We leverage the new 3T MRI facility and the existing centenarian cohort in Hong Kong to conduct multimodal brain imaging in a geographically representative sample of individuals who are above 95 years old. Thirty dementia-free (near) centenarians, thirty (near)centenarians with dementia, and thirty dementia-free younger participants (65-95 years old) will be recruited. Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and resting-state fMRI (15 mins in total) will be conducted. We will employ advanced brain network analysis to map the distinct neural connectivity patterns present in dementia-free (near)centenarians. By conducting regression analysis, we will pinpoint the specific features of the brain connectome that correlate with cognitive abilities in adults of extreme old age. Our goal is to establish Asia's inaugural brain imaging centenarian dataset and utilize cutting-edge methods in human connectome research. Our approach can reveal longevity-related brain network signatures and identify the neural features that protect old adults from age-related cognitive deterioration. Our findings may inform us of the theories of successful aging and models of neuroprotection from dementia.