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Can brain age sharpen dementia risk?

MRI-based estimates showed differing prognostic value according to baseline diagnosis.

  • By

  • Kathryn Wighton

  • September 28, 2026

  • 3 min

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  • 1

    A greater difference between estimated brain age and chronologic age may be linked to dementia progression in patients with cognitive decline.

  • 2

    The study analyzed 799 patients from the Amsterdam Dementia Cohort and SCIENCe project between 2002 and 2024.

  • 3

    During a median follow-up of 3.2 years, 29% of patients progressed to dementia, including those with subjective cognitive decline and mild cognitive impairment.

  • 4

    Each additional year of brain-predicted age difference (brain-PAD) was associated with a higher likelihood of dementia progression.

  • 5

    The study noted that scanner-specific differences could affect brain-PAD estimates and cautioned about the generalizability of findings.

Original Source(s)

Can brain age sharpen dementia risk?

  • by Kathryn Wighton

  • September 28, 2026

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