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RSNA Study Links Muscle Mass, Lower Visceral Fat to Younger 'Brain Age'

Findings from 1,164 MRI scans suggest a body composition marker that could guide future dementia‑risk trials.

Overview

  • Researchers used whole‑body MRI with AI to quantify muscle, visceral fat and subcutaneous fat, and to estimate each participant’s brain age from structural brain scans.
  • Higher visceral‑fat‑to‑muscle ratios correlated with older brain‑age estimates, while fat under the skin showed no significant association with brain age.
  • The cohort included 1,164 healthy adults from four sites with a mean age of about 55, providing multi‑site data for the analysis.
  • The results are being presented at the RSNA meeting in Chicago and are considered preliminary until peer‑reviewed, with investigators describing the work as ongoing and observational.
  • Authors propose targeting visceral fat reduction while preserving muscle as an actionable goal and suggest the biomarkers could inform design and dosing of GLP‑1 weight‑loss therapies.