Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42428688›Full record

ArticleAging medicine (Milton (N.S.W))2026

Synthetic MRI Neuroimaging Correlates of Frailty: Correlations Between Frailty Scales and Brain Structural Integrity.

Yuhui Chen, Fan Feng, Sicong Wang, Qi Wang, Hua Wang, Min Chen, Tao Gong, Chunmei Li

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Aging medicine (Milton (N.S.W)), 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

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Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Yuhui ChenDepartment of Neurology Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Beijing China.
Fan FengBeijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College Beijing China.
Sicong WangHealthcare Beijing China.
Qi WangSchool of Health Policy and Management Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College Beijing China.
Hua WangDepartment of Cardiology Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Beijing China.
Min ChenDepartment of Radiology Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Beijing China.
Tao GongDepartment of Neurology Beijing Hospital Beijing China.
Chunmei LiDepartment of Radiology Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Beijing China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3935-7771

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Objectives: Frailty, a common condition in the elderly, is characterized by a decline in physiological reserves and an increased vulnerability to stressors, leading to negative health outcomes such as falls, fractures, and prolonged recovery from illness. Despite its clinical significance, the relationship between frailty and cerebral health, particularly the correlation of frailty evaluation scales with brain structural integrity changes, is not well-defined. The study aims to investigate the associations between frailty and brain structure, focusing on the relationship between various frailty scales and brain volumetric and relaxometric changes as identified by synthetic MRI neuroimaging techniques. Methods: This prospective study initially enrolled 109 participants from the neurology ward. After applying exclusion criteria, 41 participants were included in the final analysis. Data on demographics, medical history, and physical examinations were collected. Synthetic MRI was conducted using a MAGnetic resonance image Compilation (MAGiC) with images processed using SyMRI 8.0 and SPM12 software for volumetric and relaxometric analyses. Frailty was assessed using the Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), Fried scale, FRAIL scale, and Edmonton Frailty Scale (EFS). Statistical analysis was performed by partial correlation analysis, adjusting for age, gender, and history of stroke, to examine the relationships between global and regional brain volumetric and relaxometry parameters with frailty scales. To control for multiple comparisons, the false discovery rate (FDR) method was applied, with statistical significance set at FDR-adjusted Results: Compared to non-frail participants, frail individuals exhibited significantly lower gray matter volumes in the cerebellum, hippocampus, and thalamus, as well as reduced white matter volumes globally and in the temporal and parietal lobes. Brain relaxometry revealed higher hippocampal and thalamic T1 and T2 values in the frail group. The CFS and EFS were significantly correlated with global and regional gray and white matter volumes, indicating a link between frailty severity and brain structural integrity. Conclusions: This study highlights significant correlations between frailty scales, particularly CFS and EFS, and changes in brain volumetry and relaxometry in specific brain regions. These findings suggest that the CFS and EFS may serve as sensitive frailty scales for assessing the impact of frailty on brain structure. Synthetic MRI holds promise as a valuable neuroimaging tool for diagnosing and evaluating frailty. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and enhance clinical strategies for frailty assessment and intervention.

Indexed as

brain volumetryclinical frailty scale (CFS)frailtyneuroimagingrelaxometry

Identifiers

PMID42428688
PMCPMC13347152

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.