Study Shows Hidden Visceral Fat Levels Useful For Alzheimer’s Disease Prediction

A new study has found that a specific type of body fat might be linked to the abnormal proteins in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease, even up to 20 years before symptoms of dementia appear.

Scientists highlighted that lifestyle changes aimed at reducing visceral fat might lower the chances of developing Alzheimer’s during this research presentation at the Radiological Society of North America RSNA annual meeting.

Dr. Mahsa Dolatshahi from the St. Louis-based Washington University School of Medicine was the lead author of this study. Dr. Dolatshahi noted that studying Alzheimer’s as early as midlife when people are in their 40s and 50s, can be especially helpful.

At this stage, the disease is in its earliest phases, and interventions like losing weight or decreasing visceral fat might delay or prevent its onset.

Close to 7 million Americans who are aged 65 years or more live with the disease according to the Alzheimer’s Association. If significant new advances to prevent or treat Alzheimer’s are not made, then by 2050, the total number of Americans affected could reach 13 million.

The study examined the connection between factors like obesity, body fat distribution, metabolism, and their links to Alzheimer’s. Eighty middle-aged adults with an average age of 49 were part of the research. Most participants were women (62.5%), and over half were obese, with an average body mass index (BMI) of 32.31.

To understand the relationship between fat and Alzheimer’s, researchers used various tools:

• Brain PET scans: These helped identify the proteins linked to Alzheimer’s. namely amyloid plaques and tau tangles.
• Body MRIs: Scans of the abdomen measured subcutaneous fat (just under the skin) and visceral fat (hidden fat around organs).
• Metabolic tests: These included measuring glucose, insulin, and cholesterol levels.

Dr. Dolatshahi explained that the team examined how different types of fat, like visceral and subcutaneous fat, and factors like insulin resistance and good cholesterol (HDL), could lead to the rise in amyloid and tau proteins in the brain.

The research revealed that visceral fat, the deeper fat around internal organs, was closely linked to higher levels of amyloid in the brain. This fat explained 77% of high BMI’s effect on amyloid buildup. Interestingly, other types of fat didn’t show the same connection to Alzheimer ’s-related brain changes.

Lower HDL levels and insulin resistance increased the risk of more amyloid in the brain according to this study. However, individuals with higher HDL showed a weaker link between visceral fat and amyloid buildup.

Dr. Dolatshahi emphasized that these findings are groundbreaking, as the study is one of the first to observe these connections in middle-aged adults who are still far from experiencing dementia symptoms.

Dr. Cyrus A. Raji, a senior author of the study, explained that tackling Alzheimer’s risk in people with obesity involves addressing the metabolic and cholesterol issues that often accompany high body fat. Dr. Dolatshahi pointed out that while previous research showed how high BMI can harm the brain, this study provided more detailed insights by using MRI to study the roles of visceral and subcutaneous fat.

In another related study, the same team showed that blood flow in the brain is reduced by visceral fat. Using MRIs, researchers observed that individuals with higher visceral fat had lower blood flow throughout the brain, while subcutaneous fat showed no significant effect on blood flow.

Dr. Raji remarked that understanding the harmful effects of visceral obesity on the brain could inspire lifestyle changes or weight-loss treatments to improve brain blood flow and reduce Alzheimer’s risk. This work is especially important, given that nearly 75% of Americans are overweight or obese.

By addressing visceral fat and related health issues early, people might have a better chance of protecting their brain health in the long term.

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