"Despite the recent introduction of new Alzheimer's drugs, they will not work for everyone with dementia, so we want to study what can boost the brain's resilience against pathological ageing processes" said lead author of the study, Dr. Anna Marseglia, a researcher at the Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society at Karolinska Institutet, Sweden in a press release.
For the study, the researchers analyzed data from 739 cognitively healthy 70-year-olds from Gothenburg's H70 cohort in Sweden. All underwent brain MRI scans, which were then analyzed using the researchers' AI-based algorithm to estimate their brain age. Blood samples to assess lipids, glucose, and inflammation alongside cognitive tests and data on lifestyle factors such as exercise and medical conditions were also analyzed.
Ultimately, the AI estimated the average brain age for both men and women to be 71 years old. Analyses further revealed that diabetes, stroke, cerebral small vessel disease, and inflammation were linked to older-looking brains, while healthy lifestyle factors like regular exercise were linked to younger-looking brains.
"A take-home from the study is that factors that adversely affect the blood vessels can also be related to older-looking brains, which shows how important it is to keep your blood vessels healthy, to protect your brain, by making sure, for instance, that your blood glucose level is kept stable," noted Marseglia.
The researchers also found sex-specific differences between men and women, suggesting that the two sexes have unique pathological and resilience pathways to cognitive disorders.
"Next year, we'll launch a study to understand how social health -- including social engagement, connectedness, and support -- in middle and older age, along with sleep and stress, influence brain resilience, with a focus on women's health factors," concluded Marseglia.
Sources: Science Daily, Neurology