Study finds diabetes, smoking and obesity also affect brain areas tied in memory

Prior research has linked heart risk factors and mental decline, but this study focused on specific risk factors and three brain structures -- the hippocampus, precuneus and posterior cingulate cortex -- that play a role in memory. The analysis of data from more than 1,600 adults in the Dallas Heart Study showed that alcohol use and diabetes were associated with smaller total brain volume. Smoking and obesity, meanwhile, were associated with reduced volume in the posterior cingulate cortex, which is involved with memory retrieval, and emotional and social behavior. Alcohol use and smoking were linked with reduced volume in the hippocampus, and obesity and high fasting blood sugar levels were associated with reduced precuneus size, according to the study. The findings also suggest that reduced hippocampal and precuneus size may be early indicators for mental decline in people 50 and older, while reduced posterior cingulate size is a better predictor of mental decline in people younger than 50. http://consumer.healthday.com/cognitive-health-information-26/alzheimer-s-news-20/heart-disease-risks-may-offer-clues-to-dementia-prevention-701548.html