Cardiometabolic state links neurovascular burden with brain structure and function: Evidence from EEG and MRI

Aging affects brain structure and function alongside metabolic and vascular processes leading to energetic impairments. While local neurometabolic dysfunction in aging is well-documented, the influence of systemic cardiometabolic and vascular markers on brain structure and function remains less unde...

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Main Authors: Daniel Franco-O’Byrne, Ana M. Castro-Laguardia, Carolina Delgado, James M. Shine, David Huepe, Raul González-Gomez, Enzo Tagliazucchi, Cecilia Gonzalez-Campo, Agustín Ibañez, Vicente Medel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-08-01
Series:NeuroImage
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925003118
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author Daniel Franco-O’Byrne
Ana M. Castro-Laguardia
Carolina Delgado
James M. Shine
David Huepe
Raul González-Gomez
Enzo Tagliazucchi
Cecilia Gonzalez-Campo
Agustín Ibañez
Vicente Medel
author_facet Daniel Franco-O’Byrne
Ana M. Castro-Laguardia
Carolina Delgado
James M. Shine
David Huepe
Raul González-Gomez
Enzo Tagliazucchi
Cecilia Gonzalez-Campo
Agustín Ibañez
Vicente Medel
author_sort Daniel Franco-O’Byrne
collection DOAJ
description Aging affects brain structure and function alongside metabolic and vascular processes leading to energetic impairments. While local neurometabolic dysfunction in aging is well-documented, the influence of systemic cardiometabolic and vascular markers on brain structure and function remains less understood. We examine the link between cardiometabolic dysfunction (measured by an allostatic load index) and neurovascular burden (measured by white matter hyperintensities), and their associations with brain changes, including ventricular and hippocampal volume, as well as EEG activity, across the adult lifesplan. Analyzing data from 196 healthy individuals across ages (20–75 years), we found a significant positive correlation between allostatic load index and white-matter hyperintensities, irrespective of age. White matter hyperintensities are also positively linked with ventricular enlargement, but not hippocampal atrophy. The allostatic load index mediated the relationship between white-matter hyperintensities and ventricular volume. Regarding brain function, changes in the spectral aperiodic exponent but not periodic alpha power were linked to white matter hyperintensities and the allostatic load index. The allostatic load index also mediated the relationship between spectral aperiodic exponent and white matter hyperintensities. Thus, findings suggest that the cardiometabolic state, as measured by the allostatic load index, plays a crucial role in brain health in aging, particularly influencing ventricular enlargement and increased aperiodic activity.
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publishDate 2025-08-01
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series NeuroImage
spelling doaj-art-4f9d7c4ae44f4e3888eb4f8a374663472025-08-20T03:30:47ZengElsevierNeuroImage1095-95722025-08-0131612130810.1016/j.neuroimage.2025.121308Cardiometabolic state links neurovascular burden with brain structure and function: Evidence from EEG and MRIDaniel Franco-O’Byrne0Ana M. Castro-Laguardia1Carolina Delgado2James M. Shine3David Huepe4Raul González-Gomez5Enzo Tagliazucchi6Cecilia Gonzalez-Campo7Agustín Ibañez8Vicente Medel9Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile; Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, ChileLatin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile; Center for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, ChileDepartamento de Neurociencia, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, ChileThe University of Sydney, New South Wales, AustraliaCenter for Social and Cognitive Neuroscience (CSCN), School of Psychology, Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, ChileLatin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, ChileLatin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, ChileConsejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), ArgentinaLatin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile; Centro de Neurociencias Cognitivas, Universidad de San Andrés, Victoria, Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), University of California San Francisco (UCSF), USA University of Trinity Dublin, Ireland; Corresponding authors.Latin American Brain Health Institute (BrainLat), Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez, Santiago, Chile; Corresponding authors.Aging affects brain structure and function alongside metabolic and vascular processes leading to energetic impairments. While local neurometabolic dysfunction in aging is well-documented, the influence of systemic cardiometabolic and vascular markers on brain structure and function remains less understood. We examine the link between cardiometabolic dysfunction (measured by an allostatic load index) and neurovascular burden (measured by white matter hyperintensities), and their associations with brain changes, including ventricular and hippocampal volume, as well as EEG activity, across the adult lifesplan. Analyzing data from 196 healthy individuals across ages (20–75 years), we found a significant positive correlation between allostatic load index and white-matter hyperintensities, irrespective of age. White matter hyperintensities are also positively linked with ventricular enlargement, but not hippocampal atrophy. The allostatic load index mediated the relationship between white-matter hyperintensities and ventricular volume. Regarding brain function, changes in the spectral aperiodic exponent but not periodic alpha power were linked to white matter hyperintensities and the allostatic load index. The allostatic load index also mediated the relationship between spectral aperiodic exponent and white matter hyperintensities. Thus, findings suggest that the cardiometabolic state, as measured by the allostatic load index, plays a crucial role in brain health in aging, particularly influencing ventricular enlargement and increased aperiodic activity.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925003118Cardiometabolic stateWhite matter hyperintensitiesNeurovascular burdenAperiodic activityVentricular enlargement
spellingShingle Daniel Franco-O’Byrne
Ana M. Castro-Laguardia
Carolina Delgado
James M. Shine
David Huepe
Raul González-Gomez
Enzo Tagliazucchi
Cecilia Gonzalez-Campo
Agustín Ibañez
Vicente Medel
Cardiometabolic state links neurovascular burden with brain structure and function: Evidence from EEG and MRI
NeuroImage
Cardiometabolic state
White matter hyperintensities
Neurovascular burden
Aperiodic activity
Ventricular enlargement
title Cardiometabolic state links neurovascular burden with brain structure and function: Evidence from EEG and MRI
title_full Cardiometabolic state links neurovascular burden with brain structure and function: Evidence from EEG and MRI
title_fullStr Cardiometabolic state links neurovascular burden with brain structure and function: Evidence from EEG and MRI
title_full_unstemmed Cardiometabolic state links neurovascular burden with brain structure and function: Evidence from EEG and MRI
title_short Cardiometabolic state links neurovascular burden with brain structure and function: Evidence from EEG and MRI
title_sort cardiometabolic state links neurovascular burden with brain structure and function evidence from eeg and mri
topic Cardiometabolic state
White matter hyperintensities
Neurovascular burden
Aperiodic activity
Ventricular enlargement
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811925003118
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