Abstract #1928

Increased Body Mass Index Associated with Reduced Connectivity in Functional Brain Networks in those At-Risk of Dementia

Marilena M DeMayo^1,2, Jinglei Lv^1,2, Shantel Duffy^3,4,5, Sharon Naismith^3,4,5,6, and Fernando Calamante^1,2,7

¹School of Biomedical Engineering, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia, ²Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia, ³Cogsleep, Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Centre of Research Excellence, Camperdown, Australia, ⁴Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia, ⁵Healthy Brain Ageing Program, Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia, ⁶School of Psychology, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia, ⁷Sydney Imaging, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia

Greater body mass index (BMI) is increasingly recognised as a risk factor for the development of dementia. This study investigated the functional connectivity networks associated with BMI using Network-Based Statistics in a cohort at-risk of developing dementia. Greater BMI was associated with decreased connectivity within 3 networks. Two of these networks showed decreased thalamo-cortical coupling and the third showed reduced connectivity between two nodes in the frontal cortex. This study illustrates the influence of BMI on functional connectivity, and a potential mechanism through which higher BMI confers risk of conversion from an at-risk clinical state to a dementia diagnosis.

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