Brain Thinning Identified as Early Biomarker for Dementia

MRI Study Finds Thinning of Cortical Gray Matter Could Predict Dementia Risk 5-10 Years in Advance

Researchers from The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, The University of California, Davis Boston University have discovered that a thinning of the cortical gray matter in the brain can be an accurate biomarker of dementia five to 10 years before symptoms appear.
The study involved MRI brain imaging of 1,000 Massachusetts participants in the Framingham Heart Study and 500 people from a California cohort, with both groups aged 70 to 74 on average.
The results showed that thicker ribbons of cortical gray matter correlated with better outcomes, and thinner ribbons with worse, across different races and ethnic groups.
The researchers believe that if the findings can be replicated in additional samples, the cortical gray matter thickness could be used to identify people at high risk of dementia, allowing for early therapeutic interventions and lifestyle modifications.
The team plans to explore risk factors that may be related to the thinning of the cortical gray matter, including cardiovascular risk factors, diet, genetics, and exposure to environmental pollutants.