Study Links Low Bone Density to Accelerated Brain Aging
A groundbreaking study published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA), has unveiled a startling link between bone health and brain aging. The researchers at Johns Hopkins University discovered that individuals with lower bone mineral density (BMD) in their spines underwent faster cognitive decline and more rapid age-related damage to the brain’s white matter. This neural “wiring” supports memory, attention, and executive function.
The research team, spearheaded by Dr. Sara Momtazmanesh, employed an AI-powered deep-learning algorithm to scrutinize chest CT scans from 2,086 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). They subsequently cross-referenced those bone density measurements with brain MRI results and cognitive testing from 715 of the participants.
The findings were remarkable: lower baseline vertebral bone mineral density was directly correlated with a quicker decline in global cognition over time. Brain scans also revealed a greater accumulation of damaging white matter hyperintensities, especially in the corpus callosum, the region governing working memory and attention.
However, it’s crucial to note that low bone density does not cause cognitive decline. Instead, both seem to be symptoms of shared underlying age-related metabolic and systemic processes. These findings pave the way for using routine bone density scans as an early warning system for brain aging risk.
Source: Neuroscience News – Weak Bone Density Linked to Faster Cognitive Decline (September 22, 2026)