Association of gout with brain reserve and vulnerability to neurodegenerative disease.
Association of gout with brain reserve and vulnerability to neurodegenerative disease.
Where did the research take place?
The study site has not been established. Author addresses may differ from where the research occurred.
Oxford, GB · Author affiliation
Nuffield Department of Population Health, Big Data Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. anya.topiwala@bdi.ox.ac.uk.Location evidence
Leeds, GB · Author affiliation
Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds and NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds, UK.Location evidence
Chapel Allerton, GB · Author affiliation
Leeds Institute of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds and NIHR Leeds Biomedical Research Centre, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Chapel Allerton Hospital, Leeds, UK.Location evidence
Cambridge, GB · Author affiliation
Department of Clinical Neurosciences, School of Clinical Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.Location evidence
Shanghai, CN · Author affiliation
SJTU-Ruijin-UIH Institute for Medical Imaging Technology, Shanghai, China.Location evidence
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Original abstract
Studies of neurodegenerative disease risk in gout are contradictory. Relationships with neuroimaging markers of brain structure, which may offer insights, are uncertain. Here we investigated associations between gout, brain structure, and neurodegenerative disease incidence. Gout patients had smaller global and regional brain volumes and markers of higher brain iron, using both observational and genetic approaches. Participants with gout also had higher incidence of all-cause dementia, Parkinson's disease, and probable essential tremor. Risks were strongly time dependent, whereby associations with incident dementia were highest in the first 3 years after gout diagnosis. These findings suggest gout is causally related to several measures of brain structure. Lower brain reserve amongst gout patients may explain their higher vulnerability to multiple neurodegenerative diseases. Motor and cognitive impairments may affect gout patients, particularly in early years after diagnosis.