A new study by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis has revealed that individuals with sickle cell disease have brains that appear significantly older than their actual age. The study, published in JAMA Network Open, found that participants with sickle cell disease had brains that looked an average of 14 years older than expected.
The research team, led by Dr. Andria Ford, chief of the section of stroke and cerebrovascular diseases at WashU Medicine, conducted brain MRI scans and cognitive tests on over 200 young, Black adults with and without sickle cell disease. Using a brain-age prediction tool developed from MRI scans of healthy individuals, they calculated each participant’s brain age and compared it to their actual age.
The findings shed light on the cognitive challenges faced by many sickle cell patients, even those without a history of stroke. Dr. Ford explained, “Our study explains how a chronic illness and low socioeconomic status can cause cognitive problems.” The researchers discovered that participants with older-looking brains also scored lower on cognitive tests.
Interestingly, the study also uncovered a correlation between socioeconomic status and brain age. Healthy individuals experiencing poverty had brains that appeared an average of seven years older than their actual age, with more severe economic deprivation associated with older-looking brains.
The researchers are now conducting follow-up scans and tests to determine whether these older-looking brains are aging prematurely or if their development was stunted from an early age. Dr. Ford emphasized the potential of this research, stating, “Identifying who is at greatest risk for future cognitive disability with a single MRI scan can be a powerful tool for helping patients with neurological conditions.”
This study provides valuable insights into the impact of sickle cell disease and economic deprivation on brain structure and cognitive function. The findings may lead to new treatments and preventive measures to preserve cognitive abilities in affected individuals.
See: “Brain age modelling and cognitive outcomes in young adults with and without sickle cell anemia.” (January 17, 2025)
