Abstract

This study evaluated longitudinal brain iron accumulation in older adults, its association with cognition, and the role of specific nutrients in mitigating iron accumulation. MRI-based, quantitative susceptibility mapping estimates of brain iron concentration were acquired from seventy-two healthy older adults (47 women, ages 60–86) at a baseline timepoint (TP1) and a follow-up timepoint (TP2) 2.5–3.0 years later. Dietary intake was evaluated at baseline using a validated questionnaire. Cognitive performance was assessed at TP2 using the uniform data set (Version 3) neuropsychological tests of episodic memory (MEM) and executive function (EF). Voxel-wise, linear mixed-effects models, adjusted for longitudinal gray matter volume alterations, age, and several non- dietary lifestyle factors revealed brain iron accumulation in multiple subcortical and cortical brain regions, which was negatively associated with both MEM and EF performance at T2. However, consumption of specific dietary nutrients at TP1 was associated with reduced brain iron accumulation. Our study provides a map of brain regions showing iron accumulation in older adults over a short 2.5-year follow-up and indicates that certain dietary nutrients may slow brain iron accumulation.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-2025

Notes/Citation Information

0197-4580/© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2024.10.006

Funding Information

This work was supported by the National Institutes of Health (grant numbers NIA R01 AG055449, NIA R01 AG068055, NINDS RF1 NS122028, NIA P30 AG072946, NIA P30 AG028383 - 15S1, and NIGMS S10 OD023573). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of these granting agencies.

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