Relations of Metabolic Health and Obesity to Brain Aging in Young to Middle-Aged Adults

Rebecca Angoff, Jayandra J Himali, Pauline Maillard, Hugo J Aparicio, Ramachandran S Vasan, Sudha Seshadri, Alexa S Beiser, Connie W Tsao, Rebecca Angoff, Jayandra J Himali, Pauline Maillard, Hugo J Aparicio, Ramachandran S Vasan, Sudha Seshadri, Alexa S Beiser, Connie W Tsao

Abstract

Background We aimed to evaluate the association between metabolic health and obesity and brain health measured via magnetic resonance imaging and neurocognitive testing in community dwelling adults. Methods and Results Framingham Heart Study Third Generation Cohort members (n=2170, 46±9 years of age, 54% women) without prevalent diabetes, stroke, dementia, or other neurologic conditions were grouped by metabolic unhealthiness (≥2 criteria for metabolic syndrome) and obesity (body mass index ≥30 kg/m2): metabolically healthy (MH) nonobese, MH obese, metabolically unhealthy (MU) nonobese, and MU obese. We evaluated the relationships of these groups with brain structure (magnetic resonance imaging) and function (neurocognitive tests). In multivariable-adjusted analyses, metabolically unhealthy individuals (MU nonobese and MU obese) had lower total cerebral brain volume compared with the MH nonobese referent group (both P<0.05). Additionally, the MU obese group had greater white matter hyperintensity volume (P=0.004), whereas no association was noted between white matter hyperintensity volume and either groups of metabolic health or obesity alone. Obese individuals had less favorable cognitive scores: MH obese had lower scores on global cognition, Logical Memory-Delayed Recall and Similarities tests, and MU obese had lower scores on Similarities and Visual Reproductions-Delayed tests (all P≤0.04). MU and obese groups had higher free water content and lower fractional anisotropy in several brain regions, consistent with loss of white matter integrity. Conclusions In this cross-sectional cohort study of younger to middle-aged adults, poor metabolic health and obesity were associated with structural and functional evidence of brain aging. Improvement in metabolic health and obesity may present opportunities to improve long-term brain health.

Keywords: aging; cognitive aging; magnetic resonance imaging; metabolic syndrome; obesity.

Figures

Figure 1. Flowchart of participants illustrating those…
Figure 1. Flowchart of participants illustrating those included/excluded.
MRI indicates magnetic resonance imaging.
Figure 2. Associations of metabolic group with…
Figure 2. Associations of metabolic group with free water (FW) and fractional anisotropy (FA).
P value strength is indicated by color. A, Regions of higher FW content in metabolically healthy (MH) obese compared with MH nonobese (referent). B, Regions of higher FW content in metabolically unhealthy (MU) nonobese compared with MH nonobese (referent). C, Regions of higher FW content in MU obese compared with MH nonobese (referent). D, Regions of lower FA content in MH obese compared with MH nonobese (referent). E, Regions of lower FA content in MU nonobese compared with MH nonobese (referent). L indicates left; MHNO indicates metabolically healthy nonobese participants; MHO, metabolically healthy obese; MUNO, metabolically unhealthy nonobese; MUO, metabolically unhealthy obese; and R, right.

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