AI Tool Links Brain Aging to Lifestyle and Vascular Health

Swedish researchers use AI to estimate brain age, revealing how factors like exercise and diabetes influence cognitive resilience.

A study of 739 healthy 70-year-olds used AI to estimate biological brain age based on MRI scans, blood tests, and cognitive performance data.
Diabetes, stroke, inflammation, and poor vascular health were linked to older-looking brains, while regular exercise correlated with younger-looking brains.
The AI tool demonstrated accuracy in predicting brain age and has potential for future clinical use in dementia assessments.
Researchers observed sex-specific differences in factors influencing brain resilience, with plans to further study biological and sociocultural impacts.
The findings emphasize the importance of maintaining vascular health and stable blood glucose levels to support cognitive aging and brain resilience.