Fitter bodies and muscles could keep brains young and fit, too, a new study suggests.
"Healthier bodies with more muscle mass and less hidden belly fat are more likely to have healthier, youthful brains," said study senior author Dr. Cyrus Raji, associate professor of radiology and neurology at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.
"While it is commonly known that chronological aging translates to loss of muscle mass and increased hidden belly fat, this work shows that these health measures relate to brain aging itself," Raji noted. "It shows muscle and fat mass quantified in the body are key reflectors of brain health, as tracked with brain aging."
His team analyzed the whole-body MRI images of almost 1,200 healthy adults to pinpoint the ideal "body profile" for healthy brain aging.
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