Higher Pancreatic Fat Percentage Linked to Lower Cognition in Men
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
TUESDAY, Feb. 27, 2024 -- Higher pancreatic fat percentage is associated with lower cognition and brain volumes in middle-aged men at high risk for Alzheimer disease, according to a study published online Feb. 27 in Obesity.
Sapir Golan Shekhtman, from Tel Aviv University in Israel, and colleagues examined the associations of abdominal fat deposits with cognition and brain volumes and assessed whether this association is modified by sex. Hepatic, pancreatic, visceral (VAT), and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) were quantified in 204 healthy middle-aged Alzheimer dementia offspring (mean age, 59.44 years) who underwent magnetic resonance imaging; in addition, cognition and brain volumes were assessed.
The researchers found that higher hepatic fat percentage was associated with lower total grey matter volume (β = −0.17) in the whole sample. Higher pancreatic fat percentage was associated with lower global cognition, executive function, episodic memory, and inferior frontal gyrus volume, primarily in men (β = −0.27, −0.27, −0.28, and −0.28, respectively). Inverse associations were seen for VAT and SAT with middle frontal and superior frontal gyrus volumes in men and women.
"Our findings indicate stronger correlations compared to the relationships between body mass index and cognition, suggesting that abdominal fat depots, rather than body mass index, is a risk factor for lower cognitive functioning and higher dementia risk," Shekhtman said in a statement.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted February 2024
Read this next
BMI Cutoff of 30 for Obesity May Be Too High for Middle-Aged, Older Adults
FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- The optimal body mass index (BMI) cutoff point appears to be 27 kg/m2 for detecting obesity in middle-aged and older adults, according to a study presented...
Weight Navigation Program Boosts Use of Weight Management Treatments
FRIDAY, May 31, 2024 -- A primary care-based weight navigation program (WNP) is feasible and associated with greater use of weight management treatments (WMT) and weight loss...
Self-, Partner-Reported Cognitive Decline Linked to Tau
THURSDAY, May 30, 2024 -- Individuals who self-report and whose partners report cognitive decline have greater tau, which is driven by elevated beta-amyloid (Aβ), according...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.