MRI reveals effects of risk factors on vulnerable brain regions

MRI shows the effects particular risk factors such as diabetes, air pollution, and frequency of alcohol use have on "higher-order" brain regions located in the cerebral cortex, researchers have found. A team led by Jordi Manuello, PhD, of the University of Oxford in the U.K. reported that these risk factors further increase an individual's vulnerability to conditions such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer's disease. The group's findings were published March 27 in Nature Communications. "[Our] results provide a comprehensive picture of the role played by genetic and modifiable risk factors on these fragile parts of the brain," the authors noted. Although previous studies have mapped a network of vulnerable higher-order brain regions -- that is, areas that develop later in adolescence and show earlier degeneration as people age -- exactly what the genetic influences on this fragile brain network remain unclear, the group explained. The team also wrote that it remains to be seen as to whether patient outcomes can be altered by addressing common modifiable risk factors for conditions such as schizophrenia or dementia.To the left of the figure, the red-yellow color denotes the regions that degenerate earlier than the rest of the brain and are vulnerable to Alzheimer’s disease. These brain areas are higher-order regions that process and combine information coming from our different senses. To the right of the figure, each dot represents the brain data from one UK Biobank particip...
Source: AuntMinnie.com Headlines - Category: Radiology Authors: Tags: Subspecialties MRI Neuroradiology Source Type: news