Associations of serum uric acid variability with neuroimaging metrics and cognitive decline: a population-based cohort study

Abstract Background The relationship between variation in serum uric acid (SUA) levels and brain health is largely unknown. This study aimed to examine the associations of long-term variability in SUA levels with neuroimaging metrics and cognitive function. Methods This study recruited 1111 participants aged 25–83 years from a multicenter, community-based cohort study. The SUA concentrations were measured every two years from 2006 to 2018. We measured the intraindividual SUA variability, including the direction and magnitude of change by calculating the slope value. The associations of SUA variability with neuroimaging markers (brain macrostructural volume, microstructural integrity, white matter hyperintensity, and the presence of cerebral small vessel disease) and cognitive function were examined using generalized linear models. Mediation analyses were performed to assess whether neuroimaging markers mediate the relationship between SUA variation and cognitive function. Results Compared with the stable group, subjects with increased or decreased SUA levels were all featured by smaller brain white matter volume (beta = − 0.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] − 0.39 to − 0.11 and beta = − 0.15, 95% CI − 0.29 to − 0.02). Participants with progressively increased SUA exhibited widespread disrupted microstructural integrity, featured by lower global fractional anisotropy (beta = − 0.24, 95% CI − 0.38 to − 0.10), higher mean diffusivity (beta = 0.16, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.28) and radial diffusivity (beta = 0.19, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.31). Elevated SUA was also associated with cognitive decline (beta = − 0.18, 95% CI − 0.32 to − 0.04). White matter atrophy and impaired brain microstructural integrity mediated the impact of SUA increase on cognitive decline. Conclusions It is the magnitude of SUA variation rather than the direction that plays a critical negative role in brain health, especially for participants with hyperuricemia. Smaller brain white matter volume and impaired microstructural integrity mediate the relationship between increased SUA level and cognitive function decline. Long-term stability of SUA level is recommended for maintaining brain health and preventing cognitive decline.