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NeuroimAging – Grégoria Kalpouzos group
Our research focuses on the effects of normal and pathological aging on structural, molecular, mechanical and functional brain integrity, in relation to cognition. We also study genetic, physiological and lifestyle factors that modulate age-related brain and cognitive changes. We use a broad range of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques and positron emission tomography. We also develop deep learning methods that we apply to neuroimaging.
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Staff and contact
Group leader
- Grégoria KalpouzosSenior Lecturer | Docent
All members of the group
- Farshad FalahatiResearch Infrastructure Specialist
- Håkan FischerAffiliated to Research | Docent
- Jonatan GustavssonAffiliated to Research
- Grégoria KalpouzosSenior Lecturer | Docent
- Saana KorkkiAffiliated to Research
- Xin LiAffiliated to Research
- Kristin NordinAffiliated to Research
- Jonas PerssonPrincipal Researcher | Docent
- Alireza SalamiPrincipal Researcher
Kalpouzos Team
Grégoria Kalpouzos
Senior LecturerPersson Team
Jonas Persson
Principal ResearcherSalami Team
Alireza Salami
Principal ResearcherContact and visit us
Postal address
Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society
Karolinska Institutet
SE-171 77 Stockholm
Visiting address
Tomtebodavägen 18 A, Widerström Building, floors 9 and 10
SE-171 65 Solna
Grégoria Kalpouzos Team
Team members
Grégoria Kalpouzos
Senior LecturerFarshad Falahati
Research Infrastructure SpecialistHåkan Fischer
Affiliated to ResearchJonatan Gustavsson
Affiliated to ResearchOur research focuses on the effects of ageing on structural, molecular and functional brain integrity, in relation to cognition. We also study genetic, physiological and lifestyle factors that modulate age-related brain and cognitive changes. We use a broad range of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques and positron emission tomography.
Research focus
The focus of our research is two-fold: we study (1) the effects of normal and pathological aging on structural, molecular, biomechanical and functional brain integrity, in relation to cognition, (2) genetic, physiological and lifestyle factors that modulate age-related brain and cognitive changes.
We use a broad range of magnetic resonance imaging techniques (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET). To reach a better understanding of the neural underpinnings of cognitive performance, we use advanced techniques and methods such as:
- Novel markers of brain aging and neurodegeneration (e.g., brain iron using quantitative susceptibility mapping with MRI, biomechanical viscoelastic properties of the brain tissue using magnetic resonance elastography, fluid biomarkers of neurodegeneration such as p-Tau181, neurofilament light)
- Multimodal neuroimaging where we integrate several neuroimaging modalities together
- Deep learning approaches applied to neuroimaging data
Average elastogram of 23 individuals showing cerebral stiffness in pascals.
Image: Grégoria Kalpouzos
Projects
ElastAge
We investigate the biomechanical properties of the brain tissue in normal aging and preclinical Alzheimer's disease using Magnetic Resonance Elastography. We study the molecular and microstructural neural underpinnings of the viscoelastic parameters of the brain tissue, and relate it to brain activity and cognition.
This is a collaborative project between KI/ARC, the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (KTH)/Division of Biomedical Imaging (Rodrigo Moreno, Christoffer Olsson), the Memory Clinic of Karolinska University Hospital Solna (Zuzana Ištvánfyová, Francesca Mangialasche, Göran Hagman, Miia Kivipelto), and KI/Clinical Neuroscience (Tobias Granberg).
PI: Grégoria Kalpouzos
Relaxometry of the brain (IronAge project).
Image: Grégoria Kalpouzos
IronAge
High iron load in the brain, deleterious to brain integrity and cognitive performance, has been observed in normal and pathological aging. We investigate the impact of brain iron on neural activity and cognitive performance in aging. Another aim is to uncover the genetic, physiological and lifestyle determinants of brain iron accumulation.
The project is funded by the Swedish Research Council, Alzheimerfonden and Karolinska Institutet (KI grant and KID funding).
PI: Grégoria Kalpouzos
Manual and deep-learning-based automated segmentation of midbrain nuclei.
Image: Grégoria Kalpouzos
Brain Iron and microbleeds: a deep-learning approach
We assess the role of brain iron and microbleeds in cognitive and physical function in a population-based study on aging (SNAC-K). One aspect of this project is the automated segmentation of iron-rich small nuclei using deep learning.
This project is funded by the Swedish Research Council.
PI: Grégoria Kalpouzos
Collaborations
The group collaborates with the other research groups at ARC on particular projects, notably involving neuroimaging:
- Long-COVID19 project (Research group leader and PI Erika Jonsson Laukka), where our collaborative focus lies in the characterization of the olfactory bulbs on high-resolution 3T MR images.
Manual tracing of olfactory bulbs on T2 MR sequence with spatial resolution 0.2 x 0.2 x 1 mm3.
Image: Grégoria Kalpouzos
- Lifestyle, brain pathology and cognitive reserve in cognitive decline and dementia, and role of cerebral small vessel disease in cognitive aging (Research group leader and PI Chengxuan Qiu), using SNAC-K MRI data.
- StoneAge project (PI Goran Papenberg), which is an additional follow-up of IronAge, aims to link brain iron accumulation, neuroinflammation (using positron emission tomography) and cognition in older age.
The group also collaborates with the Division Clinical Geriatrics of NVS, notably on sleep in normal and pathological aging, in relation to brain integrity and cognition (PI Shireen Sindi).
National collaborations
- Karolinska University Hospital, memory clinic Solna (Zuzana Istvánfyová, Francesca Mangialasche, Göran Hagman, Miia Kivipelto)
- Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm (KTH), Division of Biomedical Imaging (Rodrigo Moreno, Christoffer Olsson)
- Umeå University (Ana Virel)
- Örebro University (Jonas Persson, IDA-Brain project)
International collaborations
MIND-China (Multimodal interventions to delay dementia and disability in rural China, PIs: Chengxuan Qiu and Yifeng Du), part of World-Wide FINGERS
Selected publications
Contributions of the Catechol-O-Methyltransferase Val158Met Polymorphism to Changes in Brain Iron Across Adulthood and Their Relationships to Working Memory.
Gustavsson J, Papenberg G, Falahati F, Laukka EJ, Kalpouzos G
Front Hum Neurosci 2022 ;16():838228
Contributions of HFE polymorphisms to brain and blood iron load, and their links to cognitive and motor function in healthy adults.
Kalpouzos G, Mangialasche F, Falahati F, Laukka EJ, Papenberg G
Neuropsychopharmacol Rep 2021 Sep;41(3):393-404
Elevated neuroinflammation contributes to the deleterious impact of iron overload on brain function in aging.
Salami A, Papenberg G, Sitnikov R, Laukka EJ, Persson J, Kalpouzos G
Neuroimage 2021 Apr;230():117792
A positive influence of basal ganglia iron concentration on implicit sequence learning.
Persson J, Garzón B, Sitnikov R, Bäckman L, Kalpouzos G
Brain Struct Funct 2020 Mar;225(2):735-749
Functional coherence of striatal resting-state networks is modulated by striatal iron content.
Salami A, Avelar-Pereira B, Garzón B, Sitnikov R, Kalpouzos G
Neuroimage 2018 Dec;183():495-503
Automated segmentation of midbrain structures with high iron content.
Garzón B, Sitnikov R, Bäckman L, Kalpouzos G
Neuroimage 2018 Apr;170():199-209
Can transverse relaxation rates in deep gray matter be approximated from functional and T2-weighted FLAIR scans for relative brain iron quantification?
Garzón B, Sitnikov R, Bäckman L, Kalpouzos G
Magn Reson Imaging 2017 Jul;40():75-82
Higher Striatal Iron Concentration is Linked to Frontostriatal Underactivation and Poorer Memory in Normal Aging.
Kalpouzos G, Garzón B, Sitnikov R, Heiland C, Salami A, Persson J, Bäckman L
Cereb Cortex 2017 Jun;27(6):3427-3436
Jonas Persson team
Team members
Xin Li
Affiliated to ResearchResearch focus
Our research primarily deals with the interaction between brain structure-function and higher cognitive functions in aging, with a particular focus on memory (episodic/working memory) and executive control functions. These questions are addressed by means of structural (brain anatomy) and functional (brain function) MRI and measures of cognitive performance.
Alireza Salami team
Team members
Saana Korkki
Affiliated to ResearchKristin Nordin
Affiliated to ResearchResearch focus
Our primary research interest concentrates on the brain basis of cognitive decline in old age. It is critical to find measurement tools that can predict future severe cognitive decline, such as the one typically observed in demented elderly people, as early as possible, before substantial irreversible damage has been caused to the brain.