What makes the brain age faster? New study indicates risk factors

A new study, published this Wednesday (27), showed what the genetic and modifiable risk factors that can influence the premature aging of the brain and, consequently, increase the risk for neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's .

Published in the scientific journal Nature Communications, the study analyzed brain scans of 40,000 participants from Biobank, a UK database, who were over 45 years old. The researchers also analyzed 161 risk factors for dementia and classified their impact on an area of ​​the brain most susceptible to premature aging.

They then classified these modifiable factors — that is, those that can be changed throughout life — into 15 categories:

• Blood pressure;
• Cholesterol;
• Diabetes;
• Weight;
• Alcohol consumption;
• Smoking;
• Depression;
• Inflammation;
• Pollution;
• Hearing;
• Sleep;
• Socialization;
• Diet;
• Physical activity;
• Education.

“We know that a constellation of brain regions degenerates earlier in aging, and in this new study we show that these specific parts of the brain are most vulnerable to diabetes, air pollution-related diseases — increasingly an important factor in dementia — and alcohol, of all the common risk factors for dementia,” says Gwenaëlle Douaud, who led the study, in a press release.

According to the researcher, several genetic changes also influence this brain network and are related to cardiovascular deaths, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. Additionally, the study found that two antigens from a little-known blood group, called the XG antigen, are also a risk factor. “This was a totally new and unexpected discovery,” she commented.

Lloyd Elliott, co-author of the study and professor at Simon Fraser University in Canada, agrees: “In fact, two of our seven genetic discoveries are located in this specific region that contains the XG blood group genes, and this region is highly atypical because it is shared by the X and Y sex chromosomes. This is actually quite intriguing, as we don't know much about these parts of the genome; Our work shows that there are benefits to exploring this genetic terra incognita deeper.”

For the authors, the current study clarifies some of the most critical risk factors for dementia and provides new information that may contribute to the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases and future strategies for specific interventions.