Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39401501›Full record

ArticleNeuroepidemiology2025

The Influence of Birth Weight, Socio-Economic Status, and Adult Health on Brain Volumes during Ageing.

Chris McNeil, Christopher J McNeil, Tina Habota, Anca-Larisa Sandu, Gordon Waiter, Heather Whalley, Alison D Murray

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Neuroepidemiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Association Between Low Birth Weight and Dementia Risk: A Large-scale Prospective Study.Sichuan da xue xue bao. Yi xue ban = Journal of Sichuan University. Medical science edition · 2025
    Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Chris McNeil
Christopher J McNeilAberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Tina HabotaAberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Anca-Larisa SanduAberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Gordon WaiterAberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Heather WhalleyCentre for Clinical Brain Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Alison D MurrayAberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.

Funding

Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionGreater late-life brain volumes are associated with resilience against dementia. We examined relationships between birth weight, lifelong socio-economic status, and health with late-life brain volumes. We hypothesised that early life factors directly affect late-life brain volumes.

methodsAdults aged 59-67 y underwent MRI and brain volumes were measured. Birth weight and lifelong health, and socio-economic status were quantified and the principal components of each extracted. Relationships were examined using regression and structural equation analysis.

resultsBirth weight (β = 0.095, p = 0.017) and childhood socio-economic status (β = 0.091, p = 0.033, n = 280) were directly associated with brain volume. Childhood socio-economic status was further associated with grey matter volume (β = 0.04, p = 0.047). Adult health was linked to increased brain volume (β = 0.15, p = 0.003).

conclusionBirth weight and childhood socio-economic status are associated with whole and regional brain volume through direct mechanisms. Optimal fetal development, reduced childhood poverty, and good adult health could reduce brain atrophy and delay dementia onset in late-life.

Indexed as

AgingBirth WeightBrainHealth StatusSocial ClassAgedFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMaleMiddle AgedOrgan SizeBirth weightBrain atrophyLongitudinalMRISocio-economic status

Identifiers

PMID39401501
PMCPMC12500258

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.