Combining lifestyle risks to disentangle brain structure and functional connectivity differences in older adults

Nora Bittner, Christiane Jockwitz, Thomas W. Mühleisen, Felix Hoffstaedter, Simon B. Eickhoff, Susanne Moebus, Ute J. Bayen, Sven Cichon, Karl Zilles, Katrin Amunts and Svenja Caspers ()
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Nora Bittner: Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf
Christiane Jockwitz: Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf
Thomas W. Mühleisen: Research Centre Juelich
Felix Hoffstaedter: Research Centre Juelich
Simon B. Eickhoff: Research Centre Juelich
Susanne Moebus: University of Duisburg-Essen
Ute J. Bayen: Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf
Sven Cichon: Research Centre Juelich
Karl Zilles: Research Centre Juelich
Katrin Amunts: Research Centre Juelich
Svenja Caspers: Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-13

Abstract: Abstract Lifestyle contributes to inter-individual variability in brain aging, but previous studies focused on the effects of single lifestyle variables. Here, we studied the combined and individual contributions of four lifestyle variables - alcohol consumption, smoking, physical activity, and social integration - to brain structure and functional connectivity in a population-based cohort of 549 older adults. A combined lifestyle risk score was associated with decreased gyrification in left premotor and right prefrontal cortex, and higher functional connectivity to sensorimotor and prefrontal cortex. While structural differences were driven by alcohol consumption, physical activity, and social integration, higher functional connectivity was driven by smoking. Results suggest that combining differentially contributing lifestyle variables may be more than the sum of its parts. Associations generally were neither altered by adjustment for genetic risk, nor by depressive symptomatology or education, underlining the relevance of daily habits for brain health.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-08500-x

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