Premium
Mid‐life adiposity factors relate to blood–brain barrier integrity in late life
Author(s) -
Gustafson D. R.,
Karlsson C.,
Skoog I.,
Rosengren L.,
Lissner L.,
Blennow K.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.625
H-Index - 160
eISSN - 1365-2796
pISSN - 0954-6820
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2796.2007.01869.x
Subject(s) - medicine , overweight , sex hormone binding globulin , leptin , body mass index , endocrinology , obesity , population , albumin , hormone , androgen , environmental health
. Gustafson DR, Karlsson C, Skoog I, Rosengren L, Lissner L, Blennow K (Gothenburg University, Gothenburg, Sweden; and Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, USA). Mid‐life adiposity factors relate to blood–brain barrier integrity in late life. J Intern Med 2007; 262 : 643–650. Objective. We explored the relationship between adiposity factors measured during mid‐life and blood–brain barrier (BBB) integrity measured via the cerebrospinal fluid/serum (CSF/S) albumin ratio in late life. Adiposity factors included body mass index and blood levels of sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and leptin. Design. Retrospective analyses over 24 years within a longitudinal study. Setting. Population‐based sample. Subjects. Eighty‐one women. Main outcome measures. CSF/S albumin ratio. Results. The CSF/S albumin ratio measured at age 70–84 years was higher amongst women who were overweight or obese (6.50 ± 2.79 vs. 5.23 ± 1.61, age‐adjusted P = 0.012), and was inversely correlated with SHBG (age‐adjusted r = −0.321, P < 0.005) at age 46–60 years. In stepwise regression models, SHBG predicted the CSF/S albumin ratio (beta = −0.017, R 2 = 0.107, P = 0.007). The best model ( R 2 = 0.187) predicting CSF/S albumin ratio included SHBG, age group (age 46 years versus >46), overweight or obesity, and an age group by SHBG interaction. Conclusions. Lower levels of SHBG in mid‐life were related to worse BBB integrity in women after 24 years in late life, even considering other adiposity factors. SHBG may be important for understanding sex hormone‐mediated mechanisms in brain health or as an independent marker of adipose tissue, the largest endocrine organ.