Implications of Age-Related Structural and Functional Changes of the Nucleus basalis of Meynert (NbM) and Interconnected Subcortical Brain Regions

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Nico Bunzeck
• Subject Area: Biological Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 566937849

The cholinergic basal forebrain, including the basal nucleus of Meynert (NbM), plays a critical role in learning and memory through its vast projections to the entire neocortex. Importantly, the NbM is also interconnected with the dopaminergic midbrain (i.e., substantia nigra / ventral tegmental area, SN/VTA) and hippocampus, which all undergo age-related structural and functional changes that can lead to cognitive impairments. While social integration and personality also play significant roles in the cognitive development across the adult lifespan, the link to subcortical information processing remains less clear. Therefore, the overarching goal of this research project is to investigate the underlying principles of a link between age-related anatomical and functional changes in subcortical information processing, and the contribution of social integration and trait personality. To this end, we plan to analyze longitudinal data from the UK Biobank, including more than 500,000 human subjects, with a specific focus on data quantifying cognitive abilities, psychological wellbeing, social integration, personality, structural brain integrity and functional connectivity changes between a priori defined regions of interest (i.e., NbM, SN/VTA, hippocampus). The expected findings could provide novel insights into how specific subcortical brain regions, together with social aspects and personality, promote healthy aging. From a more general perspective, this would add missing empirical evidence in our theoretical understanding for specific concepts in aging research, such as neural compensation of structural degeneration, predisposition theory and CASSI model.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants