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60/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 60 out of 100. Prevention and risk

Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies

The highest-risk group (Q4) shows a 2.8-fold increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, a 6.4-fold risk of multiple sclerosis, and a 2.4-fold higher mortality risk. Lifestyle interventions, especially smoking cessation, moderate alcohol consumption, and physical activity, significantly slow BAG progression in individuals with advanced neurodegeneration. We found that a larger BAG was linked to higher risks of cognitive decline, dementia, multiple sclerosis, and reduced survival. Importantly, lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, moderate alcohol use, and regular exercise significantly reduce brain aging, especially in high-risk individuals. Zhang, Yi et al. examine if the brain age gap (BAG), compared to chronological aging, can accurately predict the risk for cognitive decline, neuropsychiatric disorders, and mortality. Findings reveal BAG can be used for clinical risk stratification and that healthier lifestyle interventions significantly reduce accelerated brain aging.

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

APA 7th

Zhang, R., Fan, Y., Mao, H., Huang, Z., Wang, K., & Zhang, J. (2025). Brain age gap as a predictive biomarker that links aging, lifestyle, and neuropsychiatric health. Communications Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-01100-5

Vancouver

Zhang R, Fan Y, Mao H, Huang Z, Wang K, Zhang J. Brain age gap as a predictive biomarker that links aging, lifestyle, and neuropsychiatric health. Communications Medicine. 2025. doi:10.1038/s43856-025-01100-5. PMID: 41136538.

BibTeX

@article{zhang2025-41136538,
  author  = {Zhang, Ruixia and Fan, Yi and Mao, Hongjing and Huang, Zhengxing and Wang, Kai and Zhang, Junhang},
  title   = {{Brain age gap as a predictive biomarker that links aging, lifestyle, and neuropsychiatric health}},
  journal = {Communications Medicine},
  year    = {2025},
  doi     = {10.1038/s43856-025-01100-5},
  pmid    = {41136538},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-025-01100-5}
}

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Key findings

The highest-risk group (Q4) shows a 2.8-fold increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease, a 6.4-fold risk of multiple sclerosis, and a 2.4-fold higher mortality risk.
Lifestyle interventions, especially smoking cessation, moderate alcohol consumption, and physical activity, significantly slow BAG progression in individuals with advanced neurodegeneration.
We found that a larger BAG was linked to higher risks of cognitive decline, dementia, multiple sclerosis, and reduced survival.
Importantly, lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, moderate alcohol use, and regular exercise significantly reduce brain aging, especially in high-risk individuals.
Zhang, Yi et al. examine if the brain age gap (BAG), compared to chronological aging, can accurately predict the risk for cognitive decline, neuropsychiatric disorders, and mortality.

Why it matters

This cohort study found that a larger brain age gap was linked to higher risks of cognitive decline, dementia, multiple sclerosis and reduced survival, and that the highest-risk group had a 2.8-fold increased risk of Alzheimer's disease. It also reports that lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, moderate alcohol use and regular exercise significantly slowed brain age gap progression, especially in high-risk individuals.

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Study details

Study designcohort study
Participants38,967
Effect size52.5%; 56.0%; 58.0%
Evidence strengthModerate

How this study scored 60/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a cohort study following people over time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.

Component	Points	Why
Journal tier	7 / 10	Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Communications Medicine)
Journal's citation record	0 / 4	Communications Medicine: journal h-index 55 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	7 / 12	A cohort study following people over time
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	4 / 4	38,967 participants
Effect reported	2 / 3	Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test
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	3 / 7	Cited 29 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	3 / 5	9.7 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025
Impact for its field and year	4 / 6	Cited 18.4× 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	2 / 4	Cited 29 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	2 / 4	Last-listed author Junhang Zhang: h-index 22 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	1 / 3	Zhejiang University: institution h-index 1,040 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	1 / 3	OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 1 country
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41136538)
Free to read	2 / 2	Free to read
Total	60 / 100	—

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

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