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Lifestyle-dependent brain change: a longitudinal cohort MRI study
Regina Ey Kim1, Chang-Ho Yun2, Robert J Thomas3
1Institute for Human Genomic Study, College of Medicine, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Psychiatry, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.
Neurobiology of Aging
|June 1, 2018
Summary
Lifestyle factors like smoking and physical activity impact brain volume changes in aging men, but not women. Intense physical activity can mitigate brain atrophy in male smokers, offering insights into dementia prevention.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gerontology
- Public Health
Background:
- Brain volume naturally decreases with age, a process known as brain atrophy.
- Lifestyle factors are increasingly recognized for their potential influence on brain aging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the independent and interconnected effects of smoking, physical activity, and alcohol consumption on brain volume changes.
- To examine these effects in middle-aged to older adults using longitudinal data.
Main Methods:
- Utilized longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data from 984 participants (49-79 years) in the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study.
- Measured yearly changes in brain volume over a 4-year follow-up period.
- Employed linear regression analysis to assess lifestyle factor impacts on brain atrophy rates.
Main Results:
- Accelerated brain atrophy was observed across multiple brain regions in normal aging.
- In men, smoking and physical activity independently showed significant associations with the rate of brain atrophy.
- Intense physical activity was found to mitigate brain atrophy in male smokers.
- No significant effects of the studied lifestyle factors on brain volume were observed in women.
Conclusions:
- Lifestyle factors, particularly smoking and physical activity, play a significant role in modulating brain aging in men.
- Targeted lifestyle interventions, such as increased physical activity, may offer a strategy to counteract brain atrophy in specific male populations.
- Further research is needed to understand the sex-specific differences in lifestyle impacts on brain health.
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