Brain Health
Study links two hidden body-fat patterns to faster brain aging
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Where fat is stored in the body—not only how much—is linked to brain structure and cognition, according to a large MRI study of nearly 26,000 UK Biobank participants. Researchers reported that two fat distribution profiles—one marked by high pancreatic fat and another often described as “skinny fat,” with high fat relative to muscle despite a less-obese appearance—were associated with gray-matter loss, faster brain aging and poorer cognitive outcomes.
Weight loss reversed obesity-related glucose problems in both young and mid-aged mice, but researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev report that, in mid-aged animals, early weight loss coincided with a temporary rise in inflammation-related changes in the hypothalamus, a brain region involved in appetite and energy regulation.
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Researchers at the University of Florida report that lifestyle factors such as optimism, good-quality sleep and strong social support are linked to brains that appear as much as eight years younger than expected for a person’s age. The effect was observed even among adults living with chronic pain, underscoring how everyday behaviors may influence brain health over time.