Free-water: A Promising Structural Biomarker for CD in Aging and MCI

Diffusion MRI can measure something called “free water” (FW) in the brain, which may help us better predict cognitive problems and memory decline as people age or develop Alzheimer’s disease (AD). FW is very sensitive to small changes in brain tissue, so it might be more useful than traditional brain scans for spotting early signs of trouble. In this study, researchers looked at how FW measurements in the hippocampus (a part of the brain important for memory) and two brain regions commonly affected by AD relate to thinking and memory skills