This page is alzhub.org's plain-English summary of a published study, not the paper itself. It is generated from the record we hold for this study, sourced and linked below — check the original for the full text and methods.

49/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 49 out of 100. Vascular contributions

Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models

Abstract Aims Metabolic dysfunction‐associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has recently been proposed to describe the hepatic steatosis associated with metabolic abnormalities. Substantial evidence has shown that hepatic steatosis may be linked with cognitive impairment and dementia. This study aimed to clarify the association between MAFLD and brain structural and cognitive changes. Materials and Methods We analysed data from 2155 participants with both baseline and 4‐year follow‐up brain magnetic resonance images and neuropsychological measures from the Ansan cohort of the Korean Genome Epidemiology Study. The presence of hepatic steatosis was defined as a liver attenuation index (LAI) value <5 Hounsfield units using computed tomography. Results Over a median follow‐up of 4.1 years, MAFLD was associated with an increased risk of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) (RR 1.35; 95% CI 1.09–1.66, p = 0.006), but not with brain volume changes. When examined by individual components of MAFLD, the presence of hepatic steatosis was an independent factor associated with the risk of WMH regardless of metabolic derangements. Lower LAI values were linearly associated with greater executive function Z score decline ( p = 0.007). This relationship was more evident in the non‐obese group (body mass index <25 kg/m 2 , p for interaction = 0.003). Conclusions MAFLD was associated with an increased risk of WMH over 4.1 years in middle‐aged adults. The hepatic steatosis itself was independently associated with an increased risk of WMH regardless of comorbid metabolic abnormalities. The degree of hepatic steatosis was associated with decreased executive function, especially in non‐obese individuals.

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

APA 7th

Jung, I., Park, S. Y., Lee, D. Y., Cho, H. J., Lee, S. K., Seo, J. A., et al. (2025). Association of metabolic dysfunction‐associated fatty liver disease with white matter hyperintensity and cognitive decline: A longitudinal cohort study. Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism. https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.16232

Vancouver

Jung I, Park SY, Lee DY, Cho HJ, Lee SK, Seo JA, et al. Association of metabolic dysfunction‐associated fatty liver disease with white matter hyperintensity and cognitive decline: A longitudinal cohort study. Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism. 2025. doi:10.1111/dom.16232. PMID: 39916501.

BibTeX

@article{jung2025-39916501,
  author  = {Jung, Inha and Park, So Young and Lee, Da Young and Cho, Hyun Joo and Lee, Seung Ku and Seo, Ji A and Kim, Nan Hee and Shin, Chol and others},
  title   = {{Association of metabolic dysfunction‐associated fatty liver disease with white matter hyperintensity and cognitive decline: A longitudinal cohort study}},
  journal = {Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism},
  year    = {2025},
  doi     = {10.1111/dom.16232},
  pmid    = {39916501},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1111/dom.16232}
}

Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.

Key findings

Abstract Aims Metabolic dysfunction‐associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has recently been proposed to describe the hepatic steatosis associated with metabolic abnormalities.
Substantial evidence has shown that hepatic steatosis may be linked with cognitive impairment and dementia.
Results Over a median follow‐up of 4.1 years, MAFLD was associated with an increased risk of white matter hyperintensity (WMH) (RR 1.35; 95% CI 1.09–1.66, p = 0.006), but not with brain volume changes.
When examined by individual components of MAFLD, the presence of hepatic steatosis was an independent factor associated with the risk of WMH regardless of metabolic derangements.
Lower LAI values were linearly associated with greater executive function Z score decline ( p = 0.007).

Why it matters

Over a median 4-year follow-up, metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease was linked to a higher risk of white matter hyperintensities and to greater decline in executive function, but not to brain volume changes. This is an observational cohort finding and does not show that treating fatty liver disease prevents cognitive decline.

Study details

Participants2,155
Effect sizeRR 1.35
Evidence strengthModerate

How this study scored 49/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism)
Journal's citation record	2 / 4	Diabetes Obesity and Metabolism: journal h-index 186 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	0 / 12	No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Strength of evidence	3 / 5	Rated “moderate” in our summary
Peer-review validation	10 / 10	Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal.
How recent	4 / 5	2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here
Sample size	3 / 4	2,155 participants
Effect reported	3 / 3	Effect reported with a statistic (interval, p-value, ratio or similar)
Studied in people	3 / 3	Studied in people (participant count stated)
Randomised / blinded	0 / 2	No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0)
Times cited	2 / 7	Cited 8 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	1 / 5	2.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025
Impact for its field and year	3 / 6	Cited 5.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	0 / 6	No other study in this library cites it
Still being cited	1 / 4	Cited 8 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	2 / 4	Last-listed author Ji Hee Yu: h-index 29 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	0 / 3	Korea University: institution h-index 685 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	1 / 3	OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 39916501)
Free to read	2 / 2	Free to read
Total	49 / 100	—

What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →

Read the original

Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).

Studies this one cites

Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.

Related studies in Vascular contributions

Also tagged “vessel”

900 studies in the library carry the topic tag “vessel”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 900 tagged studies.

Similar studies

More on Vascular contributions

See all studies in Vascular contributions →