Medical experts have observed that "smart people possess smart brains" in new research.
A new study finds that a few simple body traits can keep our brains young.
The new study presented at theRadiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting concluded that brain ageing is linked to muscle mass and body fat.
The research finds that visceral fat accelerates brain ageing, while muscle mass protects bones.
According to researchers, visceral fat refers to the fat stored deep in the abdomen and around the internal organs.
The study explained that “Healthier bodies with more muscle mass and less hidden belly fat are more likely to have healthier, youthful brains.”
Senior author of the study and professor of radiology and neurology at Washington University School of Medicine, Cyrus Raji said, “Better brain health, in turn, lowers the risk for future brain diseases, such as Alzheimer’s.”
Researchers have reported that brain age can be easily assessed using AI and MRI technology.
As seen through Medical Resonance Imaging MRI, the brain age is an estimation of how old the brain appears biologically, based on its structure.
The body MRI can track muscle mass, which serves as a shield to reduce fragility and strengthen overall health.
Dr Raji noted that, as there is a chronological loss of muscle mass and increased visceral belly fat, brain ageing and brain are also linked to muscle loss and healthy muscle fat.
The study highlights that “muscle and fat mass quantified in the body are key reflectors of brain health, as tracked with brain ageing.”
The team of RSNA researchers evaluated 1,164 healthy adults (52% women) across four research sites using whole-body MRI with a mean chronological age of 55.17 years.
An artificial intelligence AI algorithm measured total normalised muscle volume, hidden belly fat or visceral fat and subcutaneous fat under the skin to predict brain age.
The evaluation based on body fat indicated that individuals with a higher visceral fat-to-muscle ratio had a higher predicted brain age.
While fat under the skin showed no meaningful association with the brain's age.
The study concluded that “the participants with more muscle tended to have younger-looking brains, while those with more hidden belly fat relative to their muscle had older-looking brains.”
Dr Raji suggests, "Losing visceral fat while preserving muscle volume would have been the best benefit for brain ageing and brain health."
The study underscores that by building healthy muscle and losing excess harmful body fat, people can slow the ageing process and keep their brains younger.