Neurophysiological Correlates of Modifiable Dementia Risk Factors in Cognitively Unimpaired Older Adults

Abstract

The 2024 Lancet Commission on Dementia estimates that up to 45% of dementia cases could be prevented by addressing modifiable risk factors, emphasising both prevention opportunities and the need to understand the biological mechanisms. This study investigated neurophysiological mechanisms underlying modifiable dementia risk factors in cognitively unimpaired older adults. Seventy-nine cognitively unimpaired older adults underwent MRI brain scans, with spectroscopy measurements taken from the sensorimotor cortex (SMC) and prefrontal cortex (PFC), using a Hadamard Encoding and Reconstruction of MEGA-Edited Spectroscopy (HERMES) sequence, optimised for measuring GABA+. Modifiable dementia risk scores were calculated using the Assessment for Cognitive Health and Dementia Risk (CogDrisk). Hierarchical linear regression analyses revealed a significant negative relationship within the SMC, with lower GABA+ ({beta} = -0.249, p = 0.009) associated with higher risk scores. In the PFC, lower tNAA and tCho concentrations significantly predicted higher risk scores ({beta} = -0.168 and -0.170, respectively). These findings suggest that GABAergic system alterations may underlie the pathophysiology of modifiable dementia risk in healthy ageing, whilst changes in tNAA and tCho may reflect early alterations in neuronal integrity. These region-specific neurochemical findings may help identify potential early biomarkers for dementia risk, and suggest new therapeutic pathways for preventive interventions.