Cortical Thickness Trajectories across the Lifespan: Data from 17,075 healthy individuals aged 3-90 years
Authors: Frangou Sophia , Modabbernia Amirhossein , Doucet Gaelle E , Papachristou Efstathios , Williams Steven CR , Agartz Ingrid , Aghajani Moji , Akudjedu Theophilus N , Albajes-Eizagirre Anton , Alnæs Dag , Alpert Kathryn I , Andersson Micael , Andreasen Nancy , Andreassen Ole A , Asherson Philip , Banaschewski Tobias , Bargallo Nuria , Baumeister Sarah , Baur-Streubel Ramona , Bertolino Alessandro , Bonvino Aurora , Boomsma Dorret I , Borgwardt Stefan , Bourque Josiane , Brandeis Daniel , Breier Alan , Brodaty Henry , Brouwer Rachel M , Buitelaar Jan K , Busatto Geraldo F , Buckner Randy L , Calhoun Vincent , Canales-Rodríguez Erick J , Cannon Dara M , Caseras Xavier , Castellanos Francisco X , Cervenka Simon , Chaim-Avancini Tiffany M , Ching Christopher RK , Clark Vincent P , Conrod Patricia , Conzelmann Annette , Crespo-Facorro Benedicto , Crivello Fabrice , Crone Eveline AM , Dale Anders M , Davey Cristopher , de Geus Eco JC , de Haan Lieuwe , de Zubicaray Greig I , Braber Anouk den , Dickie Erin W , Di Giorgio Annabella , Doan Nhat Trung , Dørum Erlend S , Ehrlich Stefan , Erk Susanne , Espeseth Thomas , Fatouros-Bergman Helena , Fisher Simon E , Fouche Jean-Paul , Franke Barbara , Frodl Thomas , Fuentes-Claramonte Paola , Glahn David C , Gotlib Ian H , Grabe Hans-Jörgen , Grimm Oliver , Groenewold Nynke A , Grotegerd Dominik , Gruber Oliver , Gruner Patricia , Gur Rachel E , Gur Ruben C , Harrison Ben J , Hartman Catharine A , Hatton Sean N , Heinz Andreas , Heslenfeld Dirk J , Hibar Derrek P , Hickie Ian B , Ho Beng-Choon , Hoekstra Pieter J , Hohmann Sarah , Holmes Avram J , Hoogman Martine , Hosten Norbert , Howells Fleur M , Hulshoff Pol Hilleke E , Huyser Chaim , Jahanshad Neda , James Anthony , Jiang Jiyang , Jönsson Erik G , Joska John A , Kahn Rene , Kalnin Andrew , Kanai Ryota , Kang Sim , Klein Marieke , Klushnik Tatyana P , Koenders Laura , Koops Sanne , Krämer Bernd , Kuntsi Jonna , Lagopoulos Jim , Lázaro Luisa , Lebedeva Irina , Lee Won Hee , Lesch Klaus-Peter , Lochner Christine , Machielsen Marise WJ , Maingault Sophie , Martin Nicholas G , Martínez-Zalacaín Ignacio , Mataix-Cols David , Mazoyer Bernard , McDonald Colm , McDonald Brenna C , McIntosh Andrew M , McMahon Katie L , McPhilemy Genevieve , Menchón José M , Medland Sarah E , Meyer-Lindenberg Andreas , Naaijen Jilly , Najt Pablo , Nakao Tomohiro , Nordvik Jan E , Nyberg Lars , Oosterlaan Jaap , de la Foz Víctor Ortiz-García , Paloyelis Yannis , Pauli Paul , Pergola Giulio , Pomarol-Clotet Edith , Portella Maria J , Potkin Steven G , Radua Joaquim , Reif Andreas , Roffman Joshua L , Rosa Pedro GP , Sacchet Matthew D , Sachdev Perminder S , Salvador Raymond , Sánchez-Juan Pascual , Sarró Salvador , Satterthwaite Theodore D , Saykin Andrew J , Serpa Mauricio H , Schmaal Lianne , Schnell Knut , Schumann Gunter , Smoller Jordan W , Sommer Iris , Soriano-Mas Carles , Stein Dan J , Strike Lachlan T , Swagerman Suzanne C , Tamnes Christian K , Temmingh Henk S , Thomopoulos Sophia I , Tomyshev Alexander S , Tordesillas-Gutiérrez Diana , Trollor Julian N , Turner Jessica A , Uhlmann Anne , van den Heuvel Odille A , van den Meer Dennis , van der Wee Nic JA , van Haren Neeltje EM , van ’t Ent Dennis , van Erp Theo GM , Veer Ilya M , Veltman Dick J , Völzke Henry , Walter Henrik , Walton Esther , Wang Lei , Wang Yang , Wassink Thomas H , Weber Bernd , Wen Wei , West John D , Westlye Lars T , Whalley Heather , Wierenga Lara M , Wittfeld Katharina , Wolf Daniel H , Wright Margaret J , Yang Kun , Yoncheva Yulyia , Zanetti Marcus V , Ziegler Georg C , Thompson Paul M , Dima Danai 
Published: May 2020

Delineating age-related cortical trajectories in healthy individuals is critical given the association of cortical thickness with cognition and behaviour. Previous research has shown that deriving robust estimates of age-related brain morphometric changes requires large-scale studies. In response, we conducted a large-scale analysis of cortical thickness in 17,075 individuals aged 3-90 years by pooling data through the Lifespan Working group of the Enhancing Neuroimaging Genetics through Meta-Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium. We used fractional polynomial (FP) regression to characterize age-related trajectories in cortical thickness, and we computed normalized growth centiles using the parametric Lambda, Mu, and Sigma (LMS) method. Inter-individual variability was estimated using meta-analysis and one-way analysis of variance. Overall, cortical thickness peaked in childhood and had a steep decrease during the first 2-3 decades of life; thereafter, it showed a gradual monotonic decrease which was steeper in men than in women particularly in middle-life. Notable exceptions to this general pattern were entorhinal, temporopolar and anterior cingulate cortices. Inter-individual variability was largest in temporal and frontal regions across the lifespan. Age and its FP combinations explained up to 59% variance in cortical thickness. These results reconcile uncertainties about age-related trajectories of cortical thickness; the centile values provide estimates of normative variance in cortical thickness, and may assist in detecting abnormal deviations in cortical thickness, and associated behavioural, cognitive and clinical outcomes.