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Brain Aging in Midlife: The Beaver Dam Offspring Study.
Carla R Schubert1, Mary E Fischer1, A Alex Pinto1
1Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin.
Journal of the American Geriatrics Society
|April 2, 2019
Summary
Middle age is crucial for long-term brain health. Factors like smoking and cardiovascular disease are linked to brain aging, while exercise and education may protect cognitive function.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology and Neuroscience
- Public Health and Epidemiology
Background:
- Middle age is a critical period for maintaining brain health later in life.
- Identifying factors associated with brain aging in midlife is essential for developing interventions.
- Previous research has not fully explored comprehensive measures of brain aging in this demographic.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate factors associated with a novel measure of brain aging in middle-aged and older adults.
- To identify modifiable risk factors for preserving cognitive function with aging.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal cohort study (Beaver Dam Offspring Study) involving 2285 adults aged 22-84.
- Principal component analysis (PCA) combined sensorineural (hearing, vision, olfaction) and cognitive data.
- Logistic and Poisson regression models assessed associations with prevalent and incident brain aging.
Main Results:
- Older age, male sex, smoking, larger waist circumference, cardiovascular disease, and higher interleukin-6 levels were linked to prevalent brain aging.
- Higher education and regular exercise were associated with decreased odds of brain aging.
- Factors like less education, higher soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1, diabetes, depressive symptoms, and head injury history increased the risk of incident brain aging.
Conclusions:
- Vascular and inflammatory factors are associated with brain aging in middle-aged and older adults.
- Many identified risk factors are modifiable, emphasizing the importance of midlife health and lifestyle choices.
- Addressing these factors in midlife may help preserve brain function and promote better cognitive health in later life.
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