Cardiovascular Risk and Obesity Affect Brain Volume in Middle Age
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 4, 2024 -- The strongest influence of cardiovascular risk and obesity on reduced brain volume is seen between 55 and 64 years of age in men and between 65 and 74 years in women, according to a study published online Nov. 26 in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.
Joseph Nowell, from Imperial College London, and colleagues recruited 34,425 participants between the ages of 45 and 82 years from the U.K. Biobank database to examine the influence of cardiovascular risk and obesity on brain volume in men and women. T1-weighted structural magnetic resonance images were downloaded for all participants; the volumetric changes of the whole brain were characterized.
The researchers found that cardiovascular risk and obesity had the greatest influence on lower gray matter volume between 55 and 64 years of age among men. The greatest effect on lower gray matter volume occurred between ages 65 and 74 years among women. When evaluated separately, the associations remained significant in APOE ε4 carriers and APOE ε4 noncarriers.
"Mitigating cardiovascular risk represents a promising approach to treat or even prevent the development of Alzheimer's disease," the authors write. "Targeting cardiovascular risk and obesity a decade earlier in males than females may be imperative for potential candidates to achieve a therapeutic benefit in preventing neurodegeneration and cognitive decline."
One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted December 2024
Read this next
Adiposity-Linked Breast Cancer Risk Higher for Women With CVD
MONDAY, July 7, 2025 -- Women with cardiovascular disease (CVD) have a substantially higher adiposity-associated risk for breast cancer, according to a study published online July...
Weight Loss Continues Five Years After Tummy Tucks
THURSDAY, July 3, 2025 -- Patients undergoing abdominoplasty experience continued weight loss up to five years postoperatively, according to a study published in the July issue...
2011 to 2023 Saw Increase in Prevalence of Obesity Among Children
WEDNESDAY, July 2, 2025 -- The prevalence of obesity increased among children and adolescents from 2011 to 2023, with the increase most pronounced among Black youths, according to...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.