Longitudinal support for the correlative triad among aging, dopamine D2-like receptor loss, and memory decline

Dopamine decline is suggested to underlie aging -related cognitive decline, but longitudinal examinations of this link are currently missing. We analyzed 5 -year longitudinal data for a sample of healthy, older adults (baseline: n = 181, age: 64-68 years; 5 -year follow-up: n = 129) who underwent positron emission tomography with 11C- raclopride to assess dopamine D2 -like receptor (DRD2) availability, magnetic resonance imaging to evaluate structural brain measures, and cognitive tests. Health, lifestyle, and genetic data were also collected. A datadriven approach (k -means cluster analysis) identified groups that differed maximally in DRD2 decline rates in age -sensitive brain regions. One group (n = 47) had DRD2 decline exclusively in the caudate and no cognitive decline. A second group (n = 72) had more wide -ranged DRD2 decline in putamen and nucleus accumbens and also in extrastriatal regions. The latter group showed significant 5 -year working memory decline that correlated with putamen DRD2 decline, along with higher dementia and cardiovascular risk and a faster biological pace of aging. Taken together, for individuals with more extensive DRD2 decline, dopamine decline is associated with memory decline in aging.