Being of lower weight during midlife may increase Alzheimer risk

A study reported in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease has found a link between a lower weight and early Alzheimer’s disease.

Researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) found an association between lower weight and more extensive deposits of the Alzheimer’s-associated protein beta-amyloid in the brains of cognitively normal older individuals.

The association was seen in particular among individuals carrying the APOE4 gene variant, which is known to increase the risk of Alzheimer’s.

‘Elevated cortical amyloid is believed to be the first stage of the preclinical form of Alzheimer’s disease, so our findings suggest that individuals who are underweight late in life may be at greater risk for this disease,’ said senior author Gad Marshall.

Marshall added, ‘Finding this association with a strong marker of Alzheimer’s disease risk reinforces the idea that being underweight as you get older may not be a good thing when it comes to your brain health.’

Being of the right weight around mid-30 might help you recollect things better in later life.