Losing belly fat in your 40s and 50s is a very tough deal. However, this is not the only fitness issue that people face. Now a latest study reveals that stubborn belly fat may be linked with future risk of Alzeihmer’s disease.
Alzeihmer’s is progressive disease which destroys memory and other important mental functions. It is also the most common cause of dementia which is a gradual decline in memory, thinking skills along with behavior and social skills as explained by Mayo Clinic.
Dr. Cyrus Raji and his team from Washington University School of Medicine initially scanned the brains and abdomens of 32 adults aged 40 to 60 in a pilot study published in Aging and Disease.
They continuously expanded their participant pool. Dr. Richard Isaacson, an Alzheimer’s researcher, highlighted the correlation between larger belly size and smaller brain memory centers. He noted the groundbreaking brain imaging marker for neuroinflammation revealed in the study, connecting visceral fat to brain dysfunction through an inflammatory process—an aspect he hadn’t observed previously.
This study presents a significant link between abdominal fat and neurological issues, unveiling a potential inflammatory pathway impacting brain health.
Visceral fat, unlike subcutaneous fat, remains inaccessible for probing or pinching as it resides deep within the abdomen, encircling vital organs beneath the abdominal muscles. Dr. Isaacson clarified that subcutaneous fat isn’t commonly linked to insulin resistance, unlike visceral fat, which correlates with increased insulin resistance, causing body and brain inflammation.
The research observed that individuals in their 40s and 50s harboring elevated hidden belly fat exhibited heightened levels of amyloid—a protein associated with early-stage Alzheimer’s—in specific brain regions, as noted by senior author Dr. Raji.
Lead author Dr. Mahsa Dolatshahi highlighted another discovery: those with more visceral fat displayed increased inflammation in widespread brain white matter tracks. Dysfunction in white matter communication affects brain-to-body connectivity, impacting overall brain functionality.
Dr. Raji emphasized a gender discrepancy, noting that men exhibited a stronger correlation between belly fat and amyloid than women, attributing it to men generally having more visceral fat.
This study underscores how visceral fat, deeply nestled within, can significantly impact brain health and its communication networks. The findings shed light on potential gender-specific implications and emphasize the critical role of visceral fat in neurological health.