Social Health Is Associated With Tract-Specific Brain White Matter Microstructure in Community-Dwelling Older Adults

Poor social health has been linked to risk of neuropsychiatric disorders. Neuroimaging studies have shown associations between and global white matter microstructural integrity. We aim identify which tracts are involved in these associations. Social markers (loneliness, perceived support, partnership status) integrity 15 (identified with probabilistic tractography after diffusion magnetic resonance imaging) were collected for 3352 participants (mean age 58.4, 54.9% female) from 2002-2008 the Rotterdam Study. Cross-sectional studied using multivariable linear regression. Loneliness was associated higher mean diffusivity (MD) superior thalamic radiation parahippocampal part cingulum (standardized difference both tracts: 0.21, 95%CI: 0.09; 0.34). Better support lower MD forceps minor per point increase support: -0.06, -0.09; -0.03), inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus uncinate fasciculus. In male participants, better minor, not having a partner fractional anisotropy (FA) minor. female only. tract-specific microstructure. limbic sensorimotor tracts, whereas association commissural indicating that domains involve distinct neural pathways brain.