New Study Examines Relationship Between “Free Water” and Neurocognitive Function in Older Adults

A new study by UF neuroscientists, Joseph Gullett, Ph.D., a research assistant professor of clinical and health psychology in the UF College of Public Health and Health Professions and Adam J. Woods, Ph.D., associate professor of clinical and health psychology and associate director of UF’s Center for Cognitive Aging and Memory, suggests that white matter “free water,” or fluid unconstrained by brain tissue, could play an important role in the cognitive aging process and serve as a more specific indicator of early cognitive decline than traditional diffusion MRI measures.