Recent research presented at the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) meeting has revealed a significant link between higher amounts of visceral abdominal fat in midlife and the development of Alzheimer’s disease.
Visceral fat, which wraps around internal organs deep in the belly, is associated with brain changes up to 15 years before Alzheimer’s symptoms begin.
Study Details and Key Findings
The study involved 54 cognitively healthy participants aged between 40 and 60 years, with an average Body Mass Index (BMI) of 32.
Researchers used abdominal MRI to measure the volume of subcutaneous (under the skin) and visceral fat.
Brain MRIs were conducted to assess cortical thickness in Alzheimer’s-affected regions, and PET scans examined amyloid plaques and tau tangles, proteins linked to Alzheimer’s.
The findings showed that a higher ratio of visceral to subcutaneous fat correlated with increased amyloid PET tracer uptake in the precuneus cortex, an area affected early in Alzheimer’s disease.
This effect was more pronounced in men than in women. Additionally, higher levels of visceral fat were related to increased brain inflammation.
This research emphasizes the importance of identifying Alzheimer’s risks earlier, particularly focusing on visceral fat as a potential risk factor.
The study’s senior author, Dr. Cyrus A. Raji, highlighted that these brain changes can occur as early as age 50, up to 15 years before the onset of memory loss symptoms in Alzheimer’s.
The findings suggest that targeting visceral fat could be a strategy to modify the risk of future brain inflammation and dementia.
The study moves beyond traditional BMI measurements to provide a deeper understanding of how the anatomical distribution of body fat, particularly visceral fat, can increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
This approach offers new insights into early diagnosis and potential intervention strategies to address this growing health concern.
With over 6 million Americans currently living with Alzheimer’s disease and projections indicating a rise to nearly 13 million by 2050, this study sheds light on the crucial role of visceral fat in Alzheimer’s development.
By addressing this hidden abdominal fat, there may be opportunities for earlier intervention and potentially modifying the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
If you care about Alzheimer’s disease, please read studies about Research shows root cause of Alzheimer’s disease and new treatment and findings of Scientists find the link between eye disease glaucoma and Alzheimer’s disease.
For more information about obesity, please see recent studies about low-carb keto diet could manage obesity effectively and results showing popular weight loss diet linked to heart disease and cancer.
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