Rutgers Health researchers say the effects of abdominal fat on brain health and cognition are more pronounced in middle-aged men, who are generally at higher risk for Alzheimer's disease than women.
A study published in the same journal found that the amount of fat in abdominal organs (pancreas, liver, and abdominal fat) was related to brain volume and cognitive function in middle-aged people with a family history of Alzheimer's disease. obesity. This study was written by Dr. Sapir Golan Shechtman. Michal Schneider Behr, a student at the Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Center at Sheba Medical Center in Israel and director of the Herbert Krieger Klein Center for Alzheimer's Disease Research at the Rutgers Brain Health Research Institute. lead.
The study was conducted in 204 healthy middle-aged Alzheimer's dementia offspring and examined fat accumulation in the pancreas, liver, and abdomen as measured by MRI.
“In middle-aged men at high risk for Alzheimer's disease, increased pancreatic fat is associated with lower cognition and brain volume, and there may be a sex-specific link between distinct abdominal fat and brain health.” It hints at sex,” Behri said. Krieger is the Klein Endowed Chair in Neurodegeneration Research at BHI and is also a faculty member at Rutgers Health Research Institute, Health Policy and Aging Research.
Obesity is a risk factor for cognitive decline and increased risk of dementia, with associations varying by gender.
The findings highlight the importance of investigating the interrelationships between adiposity, brain aging, and cognition in the context of gender differences.
Additionally, this study challenges the traditional use of body mass index (BMI) as the primary measure for assessing obesity-related cognitive risk. The researchers said BMI is a poor indicator of body fat distribution and does not necessarily explain gender differences.
Our findings show a stronger correlation compared to the relationship between BMI and cognition, suggesting that abdominal fat accumulation, rather than BMI, is a risk factor for decreased cognitive function and increased risk of dementia. doing. ”
Dr. Sapir Goran Shechtman Student at the Joseph Sagol Neuroscience Center at Sheba Medical Center
These findings open new avenues for further exploration of targeted interventions and gender-specific approaches to understanding and mitigating the effects of abdominal fat on brain health, Schechtman said. Stated.
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Reference magazines:
Shechtman, Singapore; other. (2024) Abdominal fat accumulation is associated with cognitive decline and brain volume in middle-aged men at high risk of Alzheimer's disease. obesity. doi.org/10.1002/oby.24004.