Study investigates whether obesity accelerates brain aging

Scientists have long known that being obese increases the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease. What remains unclear is how that risk develops in the brain.

Virginia Tech neuroscientist Timothy Jarome is investigating whether obesity may be accelerating the brain's aging process, contributing to earlier memory decline.

The stakes are significant: About one in three adults over 70 experiences age-related memory loss, a condition with no treatment, while nearly 40 percent of U.S. adults are obese.

Jarome, professor in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' School of Animal Sciences studies the molecular mechanisms behind memory disorders such as dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). His latest research is supported by a $410,000 grant from the National Institute on Aging.