What people with Metabolic Syndrome should know about their brain health
- A new study indicates that metabolic syndrome, a combination of risk factors such as high blood sugar and blood pressure, may significantly accelerate brain ageing.
- Researchers analysed data from 27,375 UK Biobank participants, utilising MRI scans and machine learning to estimate the ‘brain-age gap’ compared to chronological age.
- The findings revealed that individuals with metabolic syndrome had brains that appeared notably older than expected, with the ageing effect increasing with the number of metabolic syndrome components present.
- The study identified three metabolites – GlycA (a marker of inflammation), the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio (indicating atherosclerosis), and certain fatty acids – as partially explaining the link to accelerated brain ageing.
- All five components of metabolic syndrome are modifiable through lifestyle choices like regular exercise, healthy eating, and quality sleep, suggesting that managing these factors can help protect brain health.
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