Dietary Factors Affect Brain Iron Accumulation and Parkinson’s Disease Risk

Importance

Iron dysregulation in the brain has been associated with neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s Disease (PD). Iron is exclusively absorbed from food; therefore, dietary patterns may impact risk.

Objective

To understand how modifiable dietary factors are associated with brain iron accumulation and PD risk.

Design

This retrospective cohort study included participants from the UK Biobank, a population-based sample. Genotypes, MRI scans, demographics, diagnoses, and diet and lifestyle measures were collected from January 2006 to May 2021. Data analysis was conducted from September 2023 to June 2024.

Setting

population-based

Participants

Disorders analyzed included Parkinson’s and Parkinsonian Disorders (PD) (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revision [ICD-10], codes F02.3, G20-G21), and Vascular Dementia for secondary analysis (ICD-10 codes F01).

Exposures

Dietary and lifestyle preferences based on survey data

Main Outcomes

Brain iron accumulation score (derived from T2w-MRI, an iron-sensitive imaging technique) and PD diagnosis from electronic health records

Results

This study included 228,653 UK Biobank participants (30,675 with neuroimaging; 123,303 female; ages 40-83 years, largely of northern European ancestry). Factor analysis of dietary preferences revealed 20 factors that cumulatively explained 49.77% of variance across individual preferences, with prominent factors loading on alcohol (1.88% variance explained) and high-sugar (8.20% variance explained) questions. We found strong positive associations between measures of brain iron accumulation and the alcohol factor (t=4.02, p _FDR =0.0003) and significant negative associations between brain iron accumulation and the high-sugar factor (t=-3.73, p _FDR =0.0007). These factors were found to have opposite effects on PD risk, with the alcohol factor being associated with decreased PD risk (t=-5.83, p _FDR <1×10 ^-8 ) and the high-sugar factor being associated with increased PD risk (t=6.03, p _FDR <1×10 ^-8 ). Instrumental variable regression of preferences revealed that dietary preferences associated with higher brain iron levels were also associated with lower risk for PD (θ=-0.247, p=0.004). Voxelwise imaging analysis of alcohol and high-sugar factors, using T2w-MRI, confirmed patterns consistent with increased and decreased iron accumulation in motor regions, respectively. Using T2w-MRI and dw-MRI, we confirmed that this signal was more likely driven by iron than vascular confounds.

Conclusions and Relevance

Contrary to some prior studies’ findings of higher central iron levels linked with PD risk, we find lower central iron levels to be associated with greater PD risk. Dietary components, especially those related to alcohol and carbohydrates, are related to detectable differences in brain iron accumulation in motor regions of the brain and differences in risk of PD, suggesting the potential for lifestyle interventions to influence PD risk.

Key Points

Question : How do dietary factors impact brain iron accumulation and risk for Parkinson’s Disease (PD)?

Findings : In this cohort study, we identify several dietary factors that are associated with detectable differences in brain iron accumulation and PD risk. Dietary factors related to carbohydrates are associated with decreased iron accumulation and increased PD risk, while factors related to alcohol are associated with increased iron accumulation and decreased PD risk. We find evidence that dietary preferences associated with decreased brain iron accumulation are associated with increased PD risk.

Meaning : Modifiable dietary factors may impact PD risk through changes in brain iron accumulation.

Graphical Abstract

*Previous research has established that iron overload in the brain is associated with increased risk of movement disorders ^1–4 .