Canales Rodriguez, Erick JorgeAlonso-Lana, SilviaVerdolini, NormaSarró, SalvadorFeria, IsabelMontoro, IreneGarcia-Ruiz, BeatrizJimenez, EstherVaro, CristinaAlbacete, AuriaArgila-Plaza, IsabelLluch, AnnaBonnin, C. MarVilella, ElisabetVieta, EduardPomarol-Clotet, EdithSalvador, Raymond2021-08-092021-08-092021-08-092021-06-1010.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2021.06.002https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/180459In spite of extensive work, inconsistent findings and lack of specificity in most neuroimaging techniques used to examine age- and gender-related patterns in brain tissue microstructure indicate the need for additional research. Here, we performed the largest Multi-component T2 relaxometry cross-sectional study to date in healthy adults (N = 145, 18−60 years). Five quantitative microstructure parameters derived from various segments of the estimated T2 spectra were evaluated, allowing a more specific interpretation of results in terms of tissue microstructure. We found similar age-related myelin water fraction (MWF) patterns in men and women but we also observed differential male related results including increased MWF content in a few white matter tracts, a faster decline with age of the intra- and extra-cellular water fraction and its T2 relaxation time (i.e. steeper age related negative slopes) and a faster increase in the free and quasi-free water fraction, spanning the whole grey matter. Such results point to a sexual dimorphism in brain tissue microstructure and suggest a lesser vulnerability to age-related changes in women.BrainAgingTissue MicrostructureMulti-exponential relaxationMyelin water fractiontext::journal::journal article::research article