Abdominal fat depots are related to lower cognitive functioning and brain volumes in middle‐aged males at high Alzheimer's risk
Authors' conclusion
In middle-aged males at high Alzheimer's dementia risk, but not in females, higher pancreatic fat was associated with lower cognition and brain volumes. These findings suggest a potential sex-specific link between distinct abdominal fat with brain health.
Study context
- Population
- Healthy middle-aged offspring of Alzheimer's dementia patients (mean age 59.44, 60% females)
- Participants
- 204 participants
- Exposure
- Abdominal fat depots (hepatic, pancreatic, visceral, subcutaneous) vs cognition and brain volumes; effect modification by sex
- Outcome
- Associations of abdominal fat depots with cognition and brain volumes
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Whole sample: higher hepatic fat % associated with lower total gray matter volume (β)
- −0.17, p < 0.01
- Males: higher pancreatic fat % associated with lower global cognition (β)
- −0.27, p = 0.03
- Females: pancreatic fat % and global cognition (β)
- 0.01, p = 0.93
- Males: pancreatic fat % and executive function (β)
- −0.27, p = 0.03
- Females: pancreatic fat % and executive function (β)
- 0.02, p = 0.87
- Males: pancreatic fat % and episodic memory (β)
- −0.28, p = 0.03
- Females: pancreatic fat % and episodic memory (β)
- 0.07, p = 0.48
- Males: pancreatic fat % and inferior frontal gyrus volume (β)
- −0.28, p = 0.02
- Females: pancreatic fat % and inferior frontal gyrus volume (β)
- 0.10, p = 0.33
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Abdominal fat depots are related to lower cognitive functioning and brain volumes in middle‐aged males at high Alzheimer's risk. Obesity (Silver Spring). Published 27 February 2024. doi:10.
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