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Cardiometabolic risk factors associated with brain age and accelerate brain ageing
Beck D, de Lange AG, Pedersen ML, Alnaes D, Maximov II, Voldsbekk I, Richard G, Sanders AM et al.. Human brain mapping, 2021-10-09
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
The structure and integrity of the ageing brain is interchangeably linked to physical health, and cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRs) are associated with dementia and other brain disorders. In this mixed cross-sectional and longitudinal study (interval mean = 19.7 months), including 790 healthy individuals (mean age = 46.7 years, 53% women), we investigated CMRs and health indicators including anthropometric measures, lifestyle factors, and blood biomarkers in relation to brain structure using MRI-based morphometry and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). We performed tissue specific brain age prediction using machine learning and performed Bayesian multilevel modeling to assess changes in each CMR over time, their respective association with brain age gap (BAG), and their interaction effects with time and age on the tissue-specific BAGs. The results showed credible associations between DTI-based BAG and blood levels of phosphate and mean cell volume (MCV), and between T1-based BAG and systolic blood pressure, smoking, pulse, and C-reactive protein (CRP), indicating older-appearing brains in people with higher cardiometabolic risk (smoking, higher blood pressure and pulse, low-grade inflammation). Longitudinal evidence supported interactions between both BAGs and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and between DTI-based BAG and systolic blood pressure and smoking, indicating accelerated ageing in people with higher cardiometabolic risk (smoking, higher blood pressure, and WHR). The results demonstrate that cardiometabolic risk factors are associated with brain ageing. While randomized controlled trials are needed to establish causality, our results indicate that public health initiatives and treatment strategies targeting modifiable cardiometabolic risk factors may also improve risk trajectories and delay brain ageing.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Beck, D., de Lange, A. G., Pedersen, M. L., Alnaes, D., Maximov, II., Voldsbekk, I., et al. (2022). Cardiometabolic risk factors associated with brain age and accelerate brain ageing. Human brain mapping. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.25680
Vancouver
Beck D, de Lange AG, Pedersen ML, Alnaes D, Maximov II, Voldsbekk I, et al. Cardiometabolic risk factors associated with brain age and accelerate brain ageing. Human brain mapping. 2022. doi:10.1002/hbm.25680. PMID: 34626047.
BibTeX
@article{beck2022-34626047,
author = {Beck, D. and de Lange, A. G. and Pedersen, M. L. and Alnaes, D. and Maximov, II. and Voldsbekk, I. and Richard, G. and Sanders, A. M. and others},
title = {{Cardiometabolic risk factors associated with brain age and accelerate brain ageing}},
journal = {Human brain mapping},
year = {2022},
doi = {10.1002/hbm.25680},
pmid = {34626047},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.25680}
}
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Key findings
- The structure and integrity of the ageing brain is interchangeably linked to physical health, and cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRs) are associated with dementia and other brain disorders.
- The results showed credible associations between DTI-based BAG and blood levels of phosphate and mean cell volume (MCV), and between T1-based BAG and systolic blood pressure, smoking, pulse, and C-reactive protein (CRP), indicating older-appearing brains in people with higher cardiometabolic risk (smoking, higher blood pressure and pulse, low-grade inflammation).
- The results demonstrate that cardiometabolic risk factors are associated with brain ageing.
- While randomized controlled trials are needed to establish causality, our results indicate that public health initiatives and treatment strategies targeting modifiable cardiometabolic risk factors may also improve risk trajectories and delay brain ageing.
Why it matters
This study of 790 healthy individuals found associations between cardiometabolic risk factors such as smoking, higher blood pressure, and inflammation and older-appearing brains on imaging. It identifies risk associations but does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention for Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Evidence strengthHigh
How this study scored 61/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Human brain mapping) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Human Brain Mapping: journal h-index 271 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 5 / 5 | Rated “high” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 3 / 5 | 2022 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 101 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 16.8 citations a year over 6 year(s) since 2022 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 10.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 3 / 4 | Cited 60 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Lars Tjelta Westlye: h-index 101 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Oxford: institution h-index 2,205 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 3 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 10 institution(s) in 4 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 34626047) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 61 / 100 | — |
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