Risk factors of brain atrophy in cognitively normal elderly

Background Lifestyle-related risk factors (e.g., smoking) and common health problems hypertension) have been found to be associated with brain atrophy. However, it is still not clear about their independent contribution atrophy, especially among the elderly normal cognition. Here, we aim identify of atrophy in cognitively elderly. Method We included 419 subjects cognition (Table 1) from ADNI database (ADNI1/ADNI2/ADNI-GO) who had available data lifestyle-related (alcohol abuse, (obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, triglycerides, sleep disturbance) underwent 3D T1-weighted MRI scans at baseline. The images were processed AccuBrain IV2.0 quantify volumetric measures as listed Table 2. Univariate analyses performed ANCOVA investigate influence for each measure, while age, gender, education APOE4 carrier covaried out. further identified by entering them together a multivariate linear regression model predictors using backward elimination. Result In univariate analyses, obesity showed most widely throughout brain, followed hypertension which contributed cerebellum part cortical gray matter (GM), alcohol abuse that basal ganglia structures, triglycerides pons cerebellum, smoking medial temporal lobe 3). When other also considered 4), regions remained significant. Hypertension, contributions (p<0.05) several regions, disturbance (for parenchyma) cerebellum) only presented mild (0.05<p<0.10) Conclusion Obesity elderly, smoking. These results may facilitate interpretation intervention reversible caused specific factors.