P.551 The metabolic serum marker hemoglobine A1c is associated with cognitive performance and white matter microstructure in healthy, young adults

The metabolic serum marker HbA1c has been associated with both impaired cognitive performance and altered white matter integrity in patients suffering from diabetes mellitus. However, it remains unclear if higher levels of HbA1c might also affect brain structure and function in healthy subjects. With the present study we therefore aimed to investigate the relationship between HbA1c levels and cognitive performance as well as white matter microstructure in healthy, young adults. To address this question, associations between HbA1c and cognitive measures (NIH Cognition Toolbox) as well as DTI-derived imaging measures of white matter microstructure were investigated in a publicly available sample of healthy, young adults as part of the Humane Connectome Project (n= 1206, mean age= 28.8 years, 45.5 % male). We found that HbA1c levels (range 4.1-6.3%) were significantly inversely correlated with measures of cognitive performance. Higher HbA1c levels were associated with significant and wide-spread reductions in fractional anisotropy (FA) controlling for age, sex, body-mass index and education. FA reductions were furthermore found to covary with measures of cognitive performance. The same pattern of results could be observed in analyses restricted to participants with HBA1c levels below 5.7%. The present study demonstrates that low-grade HbA1c variation below diagnostic threshold for diabetes is related to both cognitive performance and white matter integrity in healthy, young adults. These findings highlight the detrimental impact of metabolic risk factors on brain physiology and underscore the importance of intensified preventive measures independent of the currently applied diagnostic HbA1c cut-off scores.

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White matter microstructure mediates the association between physical fitness and cognition in healthy, young adults

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-019-49301-y ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Nils Opel ◽

Stella Martin ◽

Susanne Meinert ◽

Ronny Redlich ◽

Verena Enneking ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

Cognitive Function ◽

White Matter ◽

Physical Fitness ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Cognitive Domains ◽

Brain White Matter ◽

Global Cognitive Function ◽

White Matter Microstructure ◽

Walking Endurance

Abstract We aimed to extend our knowledge on the relationship between physical fitness (PF) and both white matter microstructure and cognition through in-depth investigation of various cognitive domains while accounting for potentially relevant nuisance covariates in a well-powered sample. To this end, associations between walking endurance, diffusion-tensor-imaging (DTI) based measures of fractional anisotropy (FA) within brain white matter and cognitive measures included in the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery were investigated in a sample of n = 1206 healthy, young adults (mean age = 28.8; 45.5% male) as part of the human connectome project. Higher levels of endurance were associated with widespread higher FA (pFWE < 0.05) as well as with enhanced global cognitive function (p < 0.001). Significant positive relationships between endurance and cognitive performance were similarly found for almost all cognitive domains. Higher FA was significantly associated with enhanced global cognitive function (p < 0.001) and FA was shown to significantly mediate the association between walking endurance and cognitive performance. Inclusion of potentially relevant nuisance covariates including gender, age, education, BMI, HBA1c, and arterial blood pressure did not change the overall pattern of results. These findings support the notion of a beneficial and potentially protective effect of PF on brain structure and cognition.

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CHARACTERIZATION OF COGNITIVE PERFORMANCE, GRAY MATTER VOLUME AND WHITE MATTER MICROSTRUCTURE IN COGNITIVELY UNIMPAIRED ADULTS WITH INSOMNIA SYMPTOMS

Alzheimer s & Dementia ◽

10.1016/j.jalz.2019.06.4549 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 15 (7) ◽

pp. P207-P209

Author(s):

Oriol Grau-Rivera ◽

Grégory Operto ◽

Carles Falcon ◽

Raffaele Cacciaglia ◽

Gonzalo Sánchez-Benavides ◽

...

Keyword(s):

White Matter ◽

Cognitive Performance ◽

Gray Matter ◽

Gray Matter Volume ◽

Matter Volume ◽

White Matter Microstructure ◽

Insomnia Symptoms

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Corrigendum: White Matter Microstructure in Adolescents and Young Adults With Non-Suicidal Self-Injury

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00157 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 ◽

Author(s):

Melinda Westlund Schreiner ◽

Bryon A. Mueller ◽

Bonnie Klimes-Dougan ◽

Erin D. Begnel ◽

Mark Fiecas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Young Adults ◽

White Matter ◽

Adolescents And Young Adults ◽

Self Injury ◽

White Matter Microstructure

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Nicotine Effects on White Matter Microstructure in Young Adults

Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology ◽

10.1093/arclin/acy101 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 35 (1) ◽

pp. 10-21 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Megan M Kangiser ◽

Alicia M Thomas ◽

Christine M Kaiver ◽

Krista M Lisdahl

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Young Adults ◽

White Matter ◽

Fractional Anisotropy ◽

Sustained Attention ◽

Verbal Memory ◽

Diffusion Tensor ◽

Memory Performance ◽

Mean Diffusivity ◽

White Matter Microstructure

Abstract Objective Nicotine use is widely prevalent among youth, and is associated with white matter microstructural changes as measured by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). In adults, nicotine use is generally associated with lower fractional anisotropy (FA), but in adolescents/young adults (≤30 years), microstructure appears healthier, indicated by higher FA. This cross-sectional study examined associations between nicotine use and white matter microstructure using fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) in young adults. Methods Fifty-three participants (18 nicotine users [10 female]/35 controls [17 female]) ages 18–25 underwent MRI scan, neuropsychological battery, toxicology screening, and drug use interview. Nicotine group associations with FA and MD were examined in various white matter tracts. In significant tracts, AD and RD were measured. Exploratory correlations were conducted between significant tracts and verbal memory and sustained attention/working memory performance. Results Nicotine users exhibited significantly lower FA than controls in the left anterior thalamic radiation, left inferior longitudinal fasciculus, left superior longitudinal fasciculus—temporal, and left uncinate fasciculus. In these tracts, AD and RD did not differ, nor did MD differ in any tract. White matter quality was positively correlated with sustained attention/working memory performance. Conclusions Cigarette smoking may disrupt white matter microstructure. These results are consistent with adult studies, but inconsistent with adolescent/young adult studies, likely due to methodological and sample age differences. Further studies should examine longitudinal effects of nicotine use on white matter microstructure in a larger sample.

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