Lipids & metabolic liver disease
The Presence and Severity of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) are Associated With Cognitive Impairment and Hippocampal Damage
Authors' conclusion
We are the first to report the presence and severity of NAFLD to be associated with an increased risk of memory impairment and hippocampal structural and functional abnormalities. These findings stress the significance of early cognitive evaluation in patients with NAFLD.
Study context
- Population
- Subjects who underwent liver biopsy; 225 had cognitive assessments, 70 had functional MRI225 cognitively assessed
- Participants
- 320 subjects
- Exposure
- NAFLD vs controls
- Outcome
- Cognitive function and memory impairment
Methodological detailsliver biopsy, functional MRI, structural equation model
- Liver biopsy
- Functional MRI
- Structural equation model
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Memory impairment
Odds ratio (95% CI)
Severe liver steatosis
2.189(1.020–4.699)
Ballooning
3.655(1.419–9.414)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Hippocampal structure and function (MRI)
- NASH: volume loss in left hippocampus and its subiculum and presubiculum
- NASH: decreased left hippocampal activation on task-based MRI
- Path analysis: higher NAFLD activity scores associated with lower subiculum volume and reduced hippocampal activation, which contributed to lower delayed memory scores
Original publication
The Presence and Severity of NAFLD are Associated With Cognitive Impairment and Hippocampal Damage. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. Published 13 June 2023. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →