Scientists from Mass General Brigham have found that making healthier lifestyle choices may reduce the risk of brain diseases associated with shorter telomeres. Telomeres are protective caps on chromosomes that get shorter as people age or face harmful environments. The study was published in Neurology, the journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The research shows that lowering risk factors such as excess weight and alcohol use, along with getting enough sleep and exercise, can help reverse the risk of age-related brain diseases. This is true even for people already showing signs of biological aging.
As people get older, the risk of stroke, dementia, and late-life depression increases. Telomeres naturally shorten with age or exposure to stress and pollution, which can increase the risk of DNA damage. The study aimed to find out if telomere length is a direct cause of brain diseases or just a marker that predicts risk.
Researchers analyzed data from 356,173 participants in the UK Biobank. They used the McCance Brain Care Score, which measures factors like blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and lifestyle habits.
The results showed that individuals with shorter telomeres and lower Brain Care Scores had a higher risk of brain diseases. Those with shorter telomeres but healthier lifestyle scores did not have a significant increase in risk. This suggests that a healthy lifestyle may reduce the harmful effects of short telomeres.
The study had some limitations. Telomere length was only measured once, so researchers could not track changes over time. The study also focused only on people of European descent, which may limit how broadly the findings apply.
Despite these limitations, the research suggests that improving lifestyle factors could protect brain health as people age. Future studies will explore if lifestyle changes can slow the effects of aging on the brain.
