Associations Between Vascular Risk Across Adulthood and Brain Pathology in Late Life: Evidence From a British Birth Cohort
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View abstract on PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.Early adulthood vascular risk significantly impacts late-life brain health, linked to smaller brain volume and more white matter hyperintensities. Managing vascular risk from a young age is crucial for preserving brain health.
Area Of Science
- Neuroscience
- Vascular Health
- Aging Research
Background
- Midlife vascular risk is linked to dementia, but early adulthood risk's impact on late-life brain health is less understood.
- The Insight 46 study, part of a long-term national health survey, investigates early life factors influencing later life outcomes.
Purpose Of The Study
- To examine associations between vascular risk in early adulthood, midlife, and late life with late-life brain structure and pathology.
- To assess white matter-hyperintensity volume, β-amyloid load, and whole-brain and hippocampal volumes in relation to vascular risk exposure across the lifespan.
Main Methods
- Prospective longitudinal cohort study (Insight 46) with data from the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development.
- Vascular risk factors (Framingham Heart Study-Cardiovascular Risk Scores) assessed at ages 36, 53, and 69 years.
- Multimodal neuroimaging (MRI) and amyloid PET scans used to measure brain structure and pathology.
Main Results
- Increased vascular risk scores across all ages were associated with smaller whole-brain volumes and higher white matter-hyperintensity volumes.
- The strongest associations between vascular risk and brain changes were observed with risk exposure in early adulthood (age 36).
- No association was found between vascular risk scores and β-amyloid status up to age 71.
Conclusions
- Higher vascular risk, particularly in early adulthood, is associated with adverse late-life brain structure (reduced brain volume, increased white matter hyperintensities).
- Vascular risk does not appear to influence amyloid deposition by age 71.
- Interventions to reduce vascular risk starting in early adulthood are recommended to promote long-term brain health.
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