IntroductionMetabolic syndrome (MetS) and insulin resistance are established risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and have been linked to alterations in brain structure and function, including within the Default Mode Network (DMN).MethodsHere, we examined associations between metabolic dysfunction, brain structure, and DMN functional connectivity using data from the Health and Aging Brain Study: Health Disparities (HABS-HD) cohort. Participants were classified as being cognitively unimpaired (CU; n = 1,045; mean age = 66.1 years; 65% female), or having mild cognitive impairment (MCI; n = 186; mean age = 66.5 years; 52% female) or dementia (n = 76; mean age = 69.0 years; 47% female).ResultsAcross diagnostic groups, cortical thickness in AD-vulnerable regions varied by both cognitive status and HbA1c grouping, with the strongest effects observed in the CU cohort. HbA1c grouping was also associated with white matter microstructure, including stepwise reduc tions in fractional anisotropy of the anterior corona radiata across glycemic cat egories (normoglycemia > prediabetes > diabetes) in CU individuals. Functional connectivity of the posterior DMN (pDMN) showed main effects of both cognitive status and HbA1c grouping. Using a continuous index of cardiometabolic risk (MetS-Z), pDMN connectivity decreased linearly with increasing cardiometabolic burden in the CU cohort, whereas other DMN subnetworks exhibited positive associations with MetS-Z.DiscussionThese findings suggest network-specific associations between cardiometabolic risk and DMN organization that are detectable in indi viduals with MCI, a clinical state preceding dementia, as well as in some degree within cognitively unimpaired individuals. Longitudinal analyses are needed to determine whether metabolic dysfunction predicts divergent trajectories of DMN connectivity over time.
Bone Density Linked with Brain Function
Lower bone density in the spine is linked with poorer cognitive function, in research findings that could be of particular importance for postmenopausal women.
The study, in Radiology, suggests that chest computed tomography (CT) scans could help identify people with accelerated brain aging who might be at risk of dementia.
The deep-learning analysis found that bone density in the thoracic vertebrae of the spine was associated with both functional and imaging measures of age-related brain degeneration at a later stage.
Nonetheless, the researchers caution that their results do not mean osteoporosis causes dementia.
“This study is not about cause and effect, but rather the observation of a metabolic syndrome that may cause both bone and brain degeneration,” said researcher Shadpour Demehri, MD, from Johns Hopkins university in Baltimore, Maryland.
“The co-occurrence observed in the study may reflect shared metabolic drivers of aging, including insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and menopausal change, rather than a direct bone-to-brain effect.”
The study is the first longitudinal secondary analysis linking baseline vertebral bone mineral density to changes in white matter structure, white matter hyperintensity progression, and cognition.
It included 715 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) who underwent noncontrast chest CT scans together with MRI and cognitive besting.
Longitudinal data on white matter hyperintensities and fractional anisotropy were available for 408 and 405 of these individuals, respectively.
Imaging and clinical assessments revealed that lower baseline thoracic vertebral volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) was associated with white matter injury and faster decline in global cognition, particularly among people with diabetes.
Lower baseline vBMD was associated with a faster decline in global cognitive performance, with this link seen in specific brain regions.
Specifically, lower vBMD was associated with faster accumulation of white matter hyperintensities in the corpus callosum, which is associated with executive functioning, working memory, and attention.
It also correlated with faster fractional anisotropy decline in the anterior limb of the internal capsule, which is involved in executive function as well.
“Identifying individuals, particularly postmenopausal women, with low vBMD may help flag those at risk for parallel skeletal and neurologic decline, allowing earlier screening and shared risk-factor management,” reported lead researcher Sara Momtazmanesh, MD, also from Johns Hopkins, and co-workers.
They summarized: “These findings support the potential value of deep learning–enabled opportunistic vBMD assessment on chest CT for risk stratification beyond skeletal outcomes.”
The post Bone Density Linked with Brain Function appeared first on Inside Precision Medicine.
STAT+: Pharmalittle: We’re reading about Novo plans to expand its pipeline, early Alkermes ADHD data, and more
Hello there and welcome to a new week. STAT reporter Andrew Joseph here in London filling in for Mr. Pharmalot for the day. Before we get to the headlines, an extra dose of encouragement to check out all the great pieces that STAT has to offer today, from Reed Jobs opining on the NIH budget to our new trust-in-science reporter Nick Florko outlining his own experience grappling with, as he puts it, “how frustrating it is to realize that modern medicine does not have all the answers.” Now to those headlines. …
Novo Nordisk is seeking to assure investors that it can regain its momentum in the coming years, outlining plans to expand its pipeline and find new products that it could sell more like consumer goods than traditional medicines, building off what’s occurring with its obesity treatments, STAT shares. At the company’s capital markets day in London, CEO Mike Doustdar said Novo would launch at least five multi-blockbusters by 2030 and deliver revenue growth on par with other major pharma firms. He also presented a strategy that involved investing more in disease areas outside diabetes and obesity and said the company “will be more active within business development,” an acknowledgment of investors’ concerns that Novo was too reliant on its landmark GLP-1 drugs and needed to develop other products.
Drugs called orexin agonists have been hailed for their ability to treat rare sleep disorders, but with new data, Alkermes is showing for the first time that the new class of therapies may benefit people with ADHD, STAT writes. In a randomized Phase 1 study, the company’s new drug, called ALKS 7290, was well tolerated and showed a signal of efficacy. Participants in the study started with a median score of 39 on a diagnostic known as the Adult ADHD Investigator Symptom Rating Scale, indicating that they had moderate to severe symptoms. After two weeks, those taking a high dose of 50 milligrams of ALKS 7290 experienced a 19-point reduction on the scale, indicating that their symptoms had become mild.
Body image dissatisfaction and emotional eating across age and weight status: a comparative cross-sectional study
BackgroundObesity in older adults is associated with significant medical, functional, and psychological consequences, including body image dissatisfaction and maladaptive eating behaviors such as emotional eating. Although these associations have been extensively studied in younger populations, limited evidence is available in older adults with obesity. This study aimed to examine differences in body dissatisfaction by age and weight status and its association with emotional eating in adults and older adults with obesity.Methods108 participants were included and divided into four subgroups based on age and weight status. Body dissatisfaction was assessed using the Body Uneasiness Test (BUT-A). Emotional eating was evaluated using the Emotional Eating subscale of the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (EE-DEBQ). Two-way ANOVAs were conducted to examine the effects of age, weight status, and their interaction on body dissatisfaction, while Pearson correlations were used to assess associations between body dissatisfaction and emotional eating.ResultsThe analysis showed significant main effects of both age and weight status on global body dissatisfaction, with higher BUT-GSI scores observed in adults than in older adults and in participants with obesity compared with normal-weight individuals. Across all BUT dimensions, participants with obesity reported higher levels of body image concerns, avoidance, compulsive self-monitoring, and depersonalization. Significant age × weight status interactions emerged for weight phobia and body image concerns. Age significantly affected body image concerns and avoidance. Positive correlations between body dissatisfaction and emotional eating were found in adults with obesity (r=0.443, p=0.024) and older adults with obesity (r=0.480, p=0.004), as well as in normal-weight adults (r=0.573, p=0.001).ConclusionThe findings highlight the significant role of both ageing and obesity in shaping body image experiences.
Study on the Prevention of Weight Loss Through Physical Activity Among Nursing Home Residents
Conditions: Appetite Loss in Aging; Anorexia of Aging
Interventions: Other: Physical activity; Other: Appetite assessment; Other: Food intake assessment; Other: Assessment of the efficiency; Biological: Blood test at baseline; Biological: Blood test at the end of the study; Other: Functional capacities assessment; Other: weight measurment
Sponsors: University Hospital, Toulouse
Not yet recruiting
Interventions: Other: Physical activity; Other: Appetite assessment; Other: Food intake assessment; Other: Assessment of the efficiency; Biological: Blood test at baseline; Biological: Blood test at the end of the study; Other: Functional capacities assessment; Other: weight measurment
Sponsors: University Hospital, Toulouse
Not yet recruiting
Association between first-trimester serum 25(OH)D and EPDS-positive postpartum depressive symptoms in women with gestational diabetes mellitus: a retrospective cohort study
IntroductionGestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has been associated with an increased risk of postpartum depressive symptoms, while maternal vitamin D status may also be related to perinatal mood disturbances. This study investigated the association between first-trimester serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS)-positive postpartum depressive symptoms in women with GDM.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study included 242 women with GDM. Prenatal depressive and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), respectively. Sequential logistic regression models were adjusted for baseline maternal characteristics, prenatal PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores, and glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).ResultsAmong 242 women, 69 had EPDS-positive postpartum depressive symptoms. Each 5-ng/mL increase in 25(OH)D was associated with lower odds of EPDS-positive symptoms in the crude model (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.25–0.48) and after adjustment for baseline characteristics (adjusted OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.25–0.50). After additional adjustment for prenatal PHQ-9 and GAD-7 scores, the association was attenuated and was no longer statistically significant overall (adjusted OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.43–1.12; P = 0.134). Additional adjustment for HbA1c produced similar results. Exploratory stratified analyses using the full Model 2 covariate set showed no statistically significant associations within strata defined by pre-pregnancy BMI, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, or insulin use, and no significant interactions were detected.DiscussionThese findings suggest that the overall association between first-trimester 25(OH)D and postpartum depressive symptoms was substantially influenced by prenatal mental health status and was not consistently demonstrated after comprehensive covariate adjustment.
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation targets the brain-gut axis to treat functional dyspepsia: a scoping review of clinical evidence and mechanistic research
BackgroundFunctional dyspepsia (FD) is a common gut–brain interaction disorder with suboptimal response to pharmacotherapy. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS), a non-invasive neuromodulation targeting the vagus nerve, has emerged as a promising brain–gut axis therapy. This scoping review (PRISMA-ScR, JBI methodology) synthesizes clinical and preclinical mechanistic evidence on taVNS for FD.MethodsPubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library were searched up to December 20, 2025, following PRISMA-ScR. Using PICOS (adults with FD; taVNS; sham/non-vagal/active controls; symptoms, gastric function, psychological outcomes, biomarkers; RCTs/clinical trials and controlled animal studies), two reviewers independently screened, extracted data, and assessed bias (RoB2 for RCTs, SYRCLE for animal studies). A narrative synthesis was performed due to heterogeneity.ResultsFour RCTs (n = 480) and eight preclinical rodent studies met inclusion. All RCTs showed significant improvements in dyspeptic symptoms, gastric accommodation, slow-wave normalization, and comorbid anxiety, depression, sleep disturbance versus sham/non-vagal control, sustained for 4–12 weeks. Stimulation parameters varied (10–30 Hz; 0.5–10 mA; 2–4 weeks); risk of bias low-moderate. Preclinical rodent evidence supported five interconnected candidate mechanisms: (i) autonomic balance and cholinergic modulation; (ii) α7nAChR/NF-κB anti-inflammatory pathway with duodenal barrier restoration; (iii) NGF/TrkA/PLC-γ/TRPV1-mediated visceral hypersensitivity suppression; (iv) HPA axis inhibition; (v) rebalancing of brain-gut peptides (motilin, CCK, GLP-1).ConclusionThis review characterizes taVNS as a safe, well-tolerated, mechanistically plausible non-invasive neuromodulation for FD acting on multiple brain–gut axis nodes. However, the small number of trials, parameter heterogeneity, and limited follow-up constrain definitive conclusions. Adequately powered, multicenter RCTs with standardized protocols and long-term follow-up are needed to confirm efficacy and define optimal regimens.
This Study Will Evaluate Cardiorespiratory and Muscular Fitness to Examine Associations With Anthropometric Characteristics and Other Indicators of Cardiometabolic Risk Among Patients With or Without Autism Spectrum Disorder
Conditions: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); Cardiometabolic Health Indicators; Cardiometabolic Risk Factors; Metabolic Syndrome; Prediabetes
Sponsors: University of Virginia
Recruiting
Sponsors: University of Virginia
Recruiting
3-Dimensional Optical Scanning to Assess and Monitor Malnutrition in Eating Disorders (3D-ED) Study
Conditions: Anorexia in Adolescence; Anorexia Nervosa; Anorexia Nervosa, Atypical; Anorexia Nervosa, Binge Eating/Purging Type; Anorexia Nervosa Restricting Type; Anorexia Nervosa With Significantly Low Body Weight; Body Composition Changes; Growth & Development; Malnutrition Severe; Malnutrition, Calorie
Sponsors: University of California, San Francisco; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD); Denver Health and Hospital Authority; University of Hawaii
Not yet recruiting
Sponsors: University of California, San Francisco; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD); Denver Health and Hospital Authority; University of Hawaii
Not yet recruiting
The association between worry, rumination, and metacognitive beliefs in female adolescents with Anorexia Nervosa
BackgroundA growing body of literature has emphasized the role of worry and rumination in eating disorders (EDs). According to the metacognitive model, worry and rumination are maintained by dysfunctional metacognitive beliefs. Although metacognitive beliefs have been investigated in adults with EDs, their role in adolescents with EDs remains underexplored. The present exploratory study aimed to examine the specific association among worry, rumination, and metacognitive beliefs and eating disorder symptomatology in adolescents with AN.MethodsThirty Italian female adolescents (mean age ± SD: 15.387 ± 1.35 years, mean Body Mass Index (BMI): 16.34 ± 2.5 kg/m2) completed a self-report survey composed of the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), the Ruminative Response Scale (RRS), the Metacognitions Questionnaire – 30 (MCQ-30), and the Eating Disorder Inventory – 3 (EDI-3).ResultsThus, Model 1, including RRS and PSWQ, was significant (F = 17.5, p<0.001) and explained 57% of the variance (R² = 0.574). Within this model, RRS was the only significant predictor (p = 0.019) of the Eating Disorder Risk Composite (EDRC) of EDI-3, indicating that higher rumination scores were associated with greater eating disorder symptomatology. Once MCQ was entered as a predictor of EDRC, there was no significant incremental variance compared with Model 2 (ΔR² = 0.0034, p = 0.658), even though the model remained significant overall (F = 11.4, p < 0.001). The final model explained 58% of variance (R² = 0.578; Cohen’s f2 = 1.37).ConclusionRumination was significantly associated with eating disorder symptomatology. Although worry showed strong positive associations with eating disorder symptomatology at the correlational level, it did not maintain an independent role once rumination was included in the regression model. The final model showed a very large effect size (Cohen’s f² = 1.37), suggesting strong associations between predictors and eating disorder symptoms in the present sample. However, this estimate should be interpreted cautiously, given the limited sample size and the exploratory nature of the analysis. Contrary to our expectations, metacognitive beliefs did not significantly explain the variance of eating disorder symptomatology. This finding may reflect the more proximal role of RNT in explaining the variance in eating disorder symptomatology, or alternatively, the possibility that only specific metacognitive domains—rather than overall metacognitive functioning—are relevant in this population.