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Structural Modeling of Dynamic Changes in Memory and Brain Structure Using Longitudinal Data From the Normative Aging Study

¹ Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville.
Departments of ² Psychiatry
³ Neurology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston.
⁴ Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
⁵ Department of Veterans Affairs, Boston University School of Public Health, Massachusetts.

Address correspondence to John J. McArdle, Department of Psychology, PO Box 400400, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22906-4400. E-mail: jjm{at}virginia.edu

This is an application of new longitudinal structural equation modeling techniques to time-dependent associations of memory and brain structure measurements. There were 225 participants aged 30–80 years at baseline who were measured again after a 7-year interval on both the lateral ventricular size and Wechsler memory score. Multiple regression analyses show nonlinear associations with age but no relationships among longitudinal changes. Mixed-effects latent growth curve analyses and analyses based on latent difference scores indicate that longitudinal changes in both variables are reasonably well described by an exponential or dual change model. Bivariate dynamic structural equation modeling analyses indicate age-lagged changes operate in a coupled-over-time fashion, with the brain measure (lateral ventricular size) as a leading indicator in time of memory (Wechsler memory score) declines.

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