BMI, Blutdruck und körperliche Aktivität im Kindesalter hängen mit Gehirnunterschieden zusammen | Eine schlechtere Herz-Kreislauf-Gesundheit im Kindes- und Jugendalter kann mit frühen Unterschieden in der Gehirnstruktur zusammenhängen, insbesondere in Bereichen des Gehirns, von denen bekannt ist, dass sie im späteren Leben von Demenz betroffen sind.

From the article: Obesity, hypertension (high blood pressure) and physical inactivity are known to be cardiovascular risk factors for dementia in middle age but, so far, little is known about these links between heart and brain health much earlier in life.

Researchers led by a team at the University of Oxford’s Department of Psychiatry, in collaboration with University College London and funded by the NIHR Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre and Wellcome, looked at data from more than 860 children and young people between the ages of 7 and 17, including brain scans, levels of physical activity, blood pressure and Body Mass Index (BMI).

The [new paper](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352396424005267), published in the journal eBioMedicine, found a link between increased BMI, higher blood pressure, and lower physical activity in adolescence and subsequent brain structure in young adulthood – a period when the body undergoes significant change.

The links were particularly evident in brain regions that are known to be affected in dementia in old age, suggesting that lifestyle changes early in childhood may set the stage for later decline in brain health.

Holly Haines, lead author on the paper, said: ‘Our research shows that cardiovascular health in the earliest stages of life may already be important for the structure of brain regions known to be affected in dementia in old age – much earlier than previously thought.’

The scientists found that markers of poorer cardiovascular health (such as higher childhood blood pressure and faster growth of BMI across adolescence) were associated with differences in the structure of a type of brain tissue called grey matter – including its thickness and surface area. These findings were predominantly in brain areas which are known to be involved in thinking and memory. Similar links between heart health and brain health have already been shown in older patients with memory difficulties and dementia.

They say the research could help pave the way in identifying and mitigating dementia risks earlier in life, but that further research is needed with a more diverse group of participants to be able to generalise the findings to the wider population.