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Impaired glucose tolerance in midlife and longitudinal changes in brain function during aging
Madhav Thambisetty1, Lori L Beason-Held, Yang An
1Clinical and Translational Neuroscience Unit, Laboratory of Behavioral Neuroscience, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, MD 21224, USA. thambisettym@mail.nih.gov
Neurobiology of Aging
|April 24, 2013
Summary
Midlife impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) is linked to significant changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) over time. These brain function alterations occur even in cognitively normal individuals as they age.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Endocrinology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) is a risk factor for various health issues.
- Longitudinal changes in brain function are critical for understanding aging.
- Previous research has not fully elucidated the long-term effects of midlife IGT on brain hemodynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in midlife is associated with specific longitudinal changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF).
- To compare rCBF changes over time between cognitively normal individuals with and without midlife IGT.
Main Methods:
- Utilized serial (15)O-water positron emission tomography scans to measure rCBF.
- Employed voxel-based analysis to compare longitudinal rCBF changes over 8 years.
- Included cognitively normal participants from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging with and without midlife IGT.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in longitudinal rCBF change were observed between IGT and normal glucose tolerance (NGT) groups.
- The IGT group showed a predominant decline in rCBF in frontal, parietal, and temporal cortices.
- Some frontal and temporal brain regions exhibited greater longitudinal rCBF increments in the IGT group.
Conclusions:
- Midlife IGT is associated with subsequent longitudinal alterations in brain function.
- These brain changes related to IGT persist even in cognitively normal older adults.
- Findings highlight the importance of glucose metabolism in midlife for long-term brain health.
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