NEW research presented at this year’s Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) meeting suggests that analysing body fat distribution using MRI scans could help predict the risk of Alzheimer’s disease as much as 20 years before symptoms emerge.
The study, conducted by scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri, USA found a strong link between obesity-related factors and elevated brain amyloid levels, an indicator of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers highlighted the critical role of visceral fat, a type of body fat stored around the abdominal organs, in this association.
“[Our study] highlights the importance of anatomical characterisation of body fat for Alzheimer’s risk, where obesity-related amyloid pathology is fully explained by visceral fat,” the team explained.
The study examined 62 cognitively healthy participants with an average age of 50. Each underwent a brain PET scan, body MRI, and metabolic assessments to investigate links between modifiable lifestyle factors such as obesity, insulin resistance, and fat distribution, and Alzheimer’s-related brain changes.
Participants with obesity and high visceral fat levels demonstrated reduced blood flow in key brain regions, including the temporal and parietal lobes. These areas are known to play a crucial role in memory and cognition. Elevated visceral fat accounted for 77% of the association between high body mass index and increased amyloid levels.
Further findings showed that insulin resistance and low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, often linked to obesity, were also associated with higher amyloid deposition.
The study underscores the importance of reducing visceral fat to mitigate Alzheimer’s risk. “Managing Alzheimer’s risk in obesity will need to involve targeting the related metabolic and lipid issues that often arise with higher body fat,” stated the authors.
With nearly seven million Americans aged 65 or older living with Alzheimer’s (a number projected to reach 13 million by 2050) the research emphasises the potential of early interventions and lifestyle modifications in combating the disease’s progression.
Victoria Antoniou, EMJ
Reference
Dolatshahi M et al. Hidden fat predicts Alzheimer’s 20 years ahead of symptoms. RSNA Annual Meeting 2024, 1–5 December, 2024.
