New research shows that your brain might age faster than the rest of your body - and that could have a huge impact on your health and lifespan.
The risk of having an old brain
Stanford University has shown that having a biologically older brain can increase your risk of early death by as much as 182 percent over 15 years compared to people with normally aging brains.
Blood tests can reveal your brain’s age
Researchers have developed a method using a blood test to measure protein biomarkers that estimate the biological age of your organs - including the brain.
MRI scans can detect aging signs
A team at Duke University and the University of Otago found that a simple MRI scan can predict how fast your brain is aging biologically.
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Each organ ages differently
The research shows that while your brain might age rapidly, other organs like your heart or skin could actually be biologically younger than your actual age.
Biological vs. chronological age
Think of it like a car: the manufacturing year is your chronological age, but the mileage shows how much wear and tear you’ve accumulated - your biological age.
Older brains raise the risk of dementia
A person with a biologically older brain has up to three times higher risk of developing dementia compared to someone with a younger brain.
A young brain could extend your life
The study revealed that having a biologically young brain can reduce the risk of death by up to 40 percent, helping you live a longer, healthier life.
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Algorithms make predictions precise
Using machine learning, the Stanford team analyzed proteins from over 45,000 people to estimate the biological age of different organ systems with impressive accuracy.
The future is personalized medicine
Combining blood tests and brain scans could pave the way for targeted treatments that slow down organ aging and prevent diseases before they start.
Clinical trials could improve
The MRI method can serve as a screening tool to help doctors identify patients at the highest risk of cognitive decline - long before symptoms appear.
Artiklen er baseret på informationer fra National Geographic.
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