A new study has revealed that men with cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as obesity, could see their brain health deteriorate more rapidly than women. This study was published in the Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry, highlighting important differences in how these risk factors affect men and women.
Dementia, a degenerative brain condition characterized by cognitive decline, is often associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Cardiovascular risk factors like type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and smoking are already known to significantly increase the likelihood of developing dementia. However, the optimal timing for interventions to prevent dementia related to these risk factors has remained unclear.
Researchers analyzed data from 3,442 UK Biobank participants who underwent both abdominal and brain scans. The study population ranged in age from 45 to 82, with an average age of 63. To assess cardiovascular disease risk, the team employed the Framingham Risk Score, which considers factors such as age, systolic blood pressure, use of blood pressure medications, smoking status, and diabetes.
The analysis revealed that higher abdominal and visceral fat levels were associated with reduced gray matter volume in both men and women. However, the researchers noted that the impact of cardiovascular risks and obesity on brain degeneration began a decade earlier in men compared to women and persisted for 20 years.
These findings led the researchers to emphasize the potential importance of targeting these risk factors before age 55 to play a crucial role in preventing neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s disease.
The team stressed the need to consider appropriate timing for interventions, given that men with cardiovascular disease risk factors may experience faster neurodegeneration than women.
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