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Abstract #1700

Birth weight is associated with brain tissue volumes seven decades later but not age-associated changes to brain structure

Emily Wheater1, Susan D Shenkin2,3, Susana Muñoz Maniega2,4, Maria Valdés Hernández2,4, Joanna M Wardlaw2,4, Ian J Deary4,5, Mark E Bastin2,4,6, James P Boardman1,2, and Simon R Cox4,5,6
1Centre for Reproductive Health, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 2Centre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 3Geriatric Medicine, Usher Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 4Lothian Birth Cohorts, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 5Psychology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, 6Scottish Imaging Network, A Platform for Scientific Excellence Collaboration (SINAPSE), Edinburgh, United Kingdom

Birthweight is a commonly used indicator of fetal growth weight and has been associated with neuropsychiatric and neurological sequalae. However, little is known about how birth weight impacts the brain in later life. We found positive associations with total brain, grey matter and normal appearing white matter volumes in later life, but not with white matter microstructure or hyperintensities. This relationship is explained by larger head size, rather than by age-associated tissue atrophy, and is furthermore independent of body size. This suggests that larger birthweight is linked to increased brain tissue reserve, but not age-associated brain features.

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