Neuroradiologist says this 'hidden' body fat in midlife may lead to your Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 15-20 years

We are aware of how our daily diet and lifestyle shape our bodies. But our diet also affects our cognitive abilities and the functionalities of our brains. There happens to be a connection between the fat stored in our abdominal area and our brain, per a new study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). The study revealed that a higher amount of visceral fat present in the abdominal area is linked to the development of Alzheimer's disease in the midlife of people. ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

Researchers discovered that the visceral fat that surrounds the internal organs in the belly, is related to changes in the brain up to 15 years before the earliest symptoms of memory loss occur. In a cross-sectional study, the experts analyzed data from 54 volunteers who were cognitively healthy between the ages of 40 to 60. All of them had an average body mass index of 32. The volunteers got their glucose and insulin measured and had to undergo a glucose tolerance test. The researchers also measured the volume of visceral fat and fat under the skin using abdominal MRI.

MRI scans on their brains determined the cortical thickness of the brain's regions that were affected by Alzheimer's disease. experts concluded that the higher visceral to subcutaneous fat ratio was related to higher amyloid PET tracer uptake in the precuneus cortex. That is the region of the brain that is commonly affected by amyloid pathology in Alzheimer's disease. Higher visceral fat in people's bodies also increases the chances of inflammation in the brain. ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

"Even though there have been other studies linking BMI with brain atrophy or even a higher dementia risk, no prior study has linked a specific type of fat to the actual Alzheimer's disease protein in cognitively normal people," the study's author, Mahsa Dolatshahi, M.D. and post-doctoral research fellow with Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology (MIR) at Washington University School of Medicine, said per RSNA. "Similar studies have not investigated the differential role of visceral and subcutaneous fat, especially in terms of Alzheimer's amyloid pathology, as early as midlife." Senior author, Dr. Cyrus A. Raji, who is also an associate professor of radiology and neurology and the director of neuromagnetic resonance imaging at MIR, shared his input. ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

"This study highlights a key mechanism by which hidden fat can increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease," Raji said. "It shows that such brain changes occur as early as age 50, on average—up to 15 years before the earliest memory loss symptoms of Alzheimer's occur. By moving beyond body mass index in better characterizing the anatomical distribution of body fat on MRI, we now have a uniquely better understanding of why this factor may increase the risk for Alzheimer's disease." To conclude the study, it was revealed that middle-aged men were at higher risk of developing Alzheimer's due to a higher mass of visceral fat present in their bodies as compared to women. ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ