Resting-state brain dynamics are associated with cardiovascular and metabolic profile in healthy adults

Cardiovascular and metabolic dysfunction plays a significant role in the onset and progression of inflammation and cerebrovascular diseases, often leading to cognitive impairment. While growing evidence highlights the link between activity in key brain regions and cardiovascular disease events, the relationship between brain dynamics and cardiovascular or metabolic profiles in healthy individuals remains largely unexplored. We performed magnetoencephalography (MEG) in 29 healthy participants (12 males and 17 females; aged 19-72). Brain activity calculated as neural activity index (NAI) was determined in 15 regions of interest in each participant. Brachial and central blood pressure (BP), arterial stiffness and metabolic profile were assessed. Brachial diastolic BP correlated positively with NAI in right parahippocampal gyrus, insula and amygdala (across several frequency bands) while both central systolic and diastolic BP correlated positively with NAI in left orbitofrontal cortex (theta and alpha bands). Arterial stiffness measured via augmentation index correlated negatively with NAI in left and right medial prefrontal cortex (delta and high-gamma bands), while pulse wave velocity correlated positively with left caudate (theta and alpha bands). NAI in several brain regions showed associations with metabolic parameters (lipid levels, kidney function, liver proteins) including middle frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate gyrus, lateral occipital cortex, precuneus, insula, parahippocampal gyrus, hippocampus, amygdala, putamen and thalamus (across several frequency bands). We have shown activity in key brain regions correlated with cardiovascular and metabolic profile in healthy individuals suggesting that regions involved in cognitive and emotional processing may be influenced by or contribute to cardiovascular and metabolic health.