Association of body composition with neuroimaging biomarkers and cognitive function; a population-based study of 70-year-oldsResearch in context
Jessica Samuelsson,
Anna Marseglia,
Ola Wallengren,
Olof Lindberg,
Caroline Dartora,
Nira Cedres,
Sara Shams,
Silke Kern,
Anna Zettergren,
Eric Westman,
Ingmar Skoog
Affiliations
Jessica Samuelsson
Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden; Corresponding author.
Anna Marseglia
Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Ola Wallengren
Department of Medicine, Region Västra Götaland, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
Olof Lindberg
Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Caroline Dartora
Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
Nira Cedres
Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Psychology, Sensory Cognitive Interaction Laboratory (SCI-Lab), Stockholm University, Sweden; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Fernando Pessoa Canarias, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
Sara Shams
Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Radiology, Karolinska University Hospital, The Institution for Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Radiology, Stanford University Hospital, Stanford, CA, USA
Silke Kern
Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Region Västra Götaland, Mölndal, Sweden
Anna Zettergren
Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden
Eric Westman
Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden; Department of Neuroimaging, Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
Ingmar Skoog
Neuropsychiatric Epidemiology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, Centre for Ageing and Health (AGECAP) at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Psychiatry, Cognition and Old Age Psychiatry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Region Västra Götaland, Mölndal, Sweden
Summary: Background: A better understanding of body-brain links may provide insights on targets for preventing cognitive decline. The aim was to explore associations of body composition with neuroimaging biomarkers and cognitive function among dementia-free 70-year-olds. Methods: Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry body composition measures in relation to neuroimaging measures of cortical thickness, hippocampal volume, small vessel disease, predicted brain age, and cognitive performance were explored in a cross-sectional study of 674 dementia-free 70-year-olds from the Swedish Gothenburg H70 Birth Cohort study. Linear or ordinal regression analyses were performed. Findings: Higher quantity of muscle mass was associated with lower predicted brain age (β: −0.31 [95% CI: −0.45, −0.16], p: 0.00013). Those with normal level muscle mass (>7.0 men, >5.5 women kg/height m2) had overall thicker cortex (β: 0.043 [95% CI: 0.023, 0.064], p: 0.00016), thicker cortex in Alzheimer's disease signature regions (β: 0.051 [95% CI: 0.025, 0.076], p: 0.00040), and larger hippocampal volume (β: 111.52 [95% CI: 25.28, 197.75], p: 0.030) compared to those with sarcopenic level muscle mass. Higher accumulation of visceral fat was associated with overall thinner cortex (β: −0.017 [95% CI: −0.028, −0.005], p: 0.024). Faster gait speed and higher handgrip strength were associated with indicators of better brain health. Interpretation: Improving muscle mass fitness and lower visceral fat may be beneficial for brain health. Intervention studies are needed to confirm that targeting body composition can promote healthy brain ageing and reduce the risk of cognitive impairment among older adults. Funding: The Swedish Research Council, Hjärnfonden, and Alzheimerfonden.
