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Prunell-Castañé A, Beyer F, Witte V, Sánchez Garre C, Hernán I, Caldú X, Jurado MÁ, Garolera M. From the reward network to whole-brain metrics: structural connectivity in adolescents and young adults according to body mass index and genetic risk of obesity. Int J Obes (Lond) 2024; 48:567-574. [PMID: 38145996 DOI: 10.1038/s41366-023-01451-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obesity is a multifactorial condition. Genetic variants, such as the fat mass and obesity related gene (FTO) polymorphism, may increase the vulnerability of developing obesity by disrupting dopamine signaling within the reward network. Yet, the association of obesity, genetic risk of obesity, and structural connectivity of the reward network in adolescents and young adults remains unexplored. We investigate, in adolescents and young adults, the structural connectivity differences in the reward network and at the whole-brain level according to body mass index (BMI) and the FTO rs9939609 polymorphism. METHODS One hundred thirty-two adolescents and young adults (age range: [10, 21] years, BMI z-score range: [-1.76, 2.69]) were included. Genetic risk of obesity was determined by the presence of the FTO A allele. Whole-brain and reward network structural connectivity were analyzed using graph metrics. Hierarchical linear regression was applied to test the association between BMI-z, genetic risk of obesity, and structural connectivity. RESULTS Higher BMI-z was associated with higher (B = 0.76, 95% CI = [0.30, 1.21], P = 0.0015) and lower (B = -0.003, 95% CI = [-0.006, -0.00005], P = 0.048) connectivity strength for fractional anisotropy at the whole-brain level and of the reward network, respectively. The FTO polymorphism was not associated with structural connectivity nor with BMI-z. CONCLUSIONS We provide evidence that, in healthy adolescents and young adults, higher BMI-z is associated with higher connectivity at the whole-brain level and lower connectivity of the reward network. We did not find the FTO polymorphism to correlate with structural connectivity. Future longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are needed to assess how genetic determinants of obesity change brain structural connectivity and behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Prunell-Castañé
- Departament de Psicologia Clínica i Psicobiologia, Facultat de Psicologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - Frauke Beyer
- Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Veronica Witte
- Clinic for Cognitive Neurology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Consuelo Sánchez Garre
- Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Hospital de Terrassa, Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Imma Hernán
- Molecular Genetics Unit, Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, Terrassa, Spain
| | - Xavier Caldú
- Departament de Psicologia Clínica i Psicobiologia, Facultat de Psicologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain
| | - María Ángeles Jurado
- Departament de Psicologia Clínica i Psicobiologia, Facultat de Psicologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d'Hebron, 171, 08035, Barcelona, Spain.
- Institut de Neurociències, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Esplugues de Llobregat, Spain.
| | - Maite Garolera
- Brain, Cognition and Behavior: Clinical Research, Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain
- Neuropsychology Unit, Hospital de Terrassa, Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa, Terrassa, Barcelona, Spain
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Richter M, Widera S, Malz F, Goltermann J, Steinmann L, Kraus A, Enneking V, Meinert S, Repple J, Redlich R, Leehr EJ, Grotegerd D, Dohm K, Kugel H, Bauer J, Arolt V, Dannlowski U, Opel N. Higher body weight-dependent neural activation during reward processing. Brain Imaging Behav 2023; 17:414-424. [PMID: 37012575 PMCID: PMC10435630 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-023-00769-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Obesity is associated with alterations in brain structure and function, particularly in areas related to reward processing. Although brain structural investigations have demonstrated a continuous association between higher body weight and reduced gray matter in well-powered samples, functional neuroimaging studies have typically only contrasted individuals from the normal weight and obese body mass index (BMI) ranges with modest sample sizes. It remains unclear, whether the commonly found hyperresponsiveness of the reward circuit can (a) be replicated in well-powered studies and (b) be found as a function of higher body weight even below the threshold of clinical obesity. 383 adults across the weight spectrum underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging during a common card-guessing paradigm simulating monetary reward. Multiple regression was used to investigate the association of BMI and neural activation in the reward circuit. In addition, a one-way ANOVA model comparing three weight groups (normal weight, overweight, obese) was calculated. Higher BMI was associated with higher reward response in the bilateral insula. This association could no longer be found when participants with obesity were excluded from the analysis. The ANOVA revealed higher activation in obese vs. lean, but no difference between lean and overweight participants. The overactivation of reward-related brain areas in obesity is a consistent finding that can be replicated in large samples. In contrast to brain structural aberrations associated with higher body weight, the neurofunctional underpinnings of reward processing in the insula appear to be more pronounced in the higher body weight range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maike Richter
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Jena University Hospital/Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Sophia Widera
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Franziska Malz
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Janik Goltermann
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Lavinia Steinmann
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Anna Kraus
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Verena Enneking
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Susanne Meinert
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Institute for Translational Neuroscience, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Jonathan Repple
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Department for Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Ronny Redlich
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- Department of Psychology, Martin-Luther University of Halle, Halle, Germany
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, Germany
- Center for Intervention and Research on Adaptive and Maladaptive Brain Circuits Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, Germany
| | - Elisabeth J Leehr
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Dominik Grotegerd
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Katharina Dohm
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Harald Kugel
- University Clinic for Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Jochen Bauer
- University Clinic for Radiology, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Volker Arolt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Udo Dannlowski
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | - Nils Opel
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
- Department of Psychiatry, Jena University Hospital/Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany.
- German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, Germany.
- Center for Intervention and Research on Adaptive and Maladaptive Brain Circuits Underlying Mental Health (C-I-R-C), Jena-Magdeburg-Halle, Germany.
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Edwin Thanarajah S, Hanssen R, Melzer C, Tittgemeyer M. Increased meso-striatal connectivity mediates trait impulsivity in FTO variant carriers. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1130203. [PMID: 37223038 PMCID: PMC10200952 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1130203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 05/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective While variations in the first intron of the fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO, rs9939609 T/A variant) have long been identified as a major contributor to polygenic obesity, the mechanisms underlying weight gain in risk allele carriers still remain elusive. On a behavioral level, FTO variants have been robustly linked to trait impulsivity. The regulation of dopaminergic signaling in the meso-striatal neurocircuitry by these FTO variants might represent one mechanism for this behavioral alteration. Notably, recent evidence indicates that variants of FTO also modulate several genes involved in cell proliferation and neuronal development. Hence, FTO polymorphisms might establish a predisposition to heightened trait impulsivity during neurodevelopment by altering structural meso-striatal connectivity. We here explored whether the greater impulsivity of FTO variant carriers was mediated by structural differences in the connectivity between the dopaminergic midbrain and the ventral striatum. Methods Eighty-seven healthy normal-weight volunteers participated in the study; 42 FTO risk allele carriers (rs9939609 T/A variant, FTO + group: AT, AA) and 39 non-carriers (FTO - group: TT) were matched for age, sex and body mass index (BMI). Trait impulsivity was assessed via the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) and structural connectivity between the ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra (VTA/SN) and the nucleus accumbens (NAc) was measured via diffusion weighted MRI and probabilistic tractography. Results We found that FTO risk allele carriers compared to non-carriers, demonstrated greater motor impulsivity (p = 0.04) and increased structural connectivity between VTA/SN and the NAc (p< 0.05). Increased connectivity partially mediated the effect of FTO genetic status on motor impulsivity. Conclusion We report altered structural connectivity as one mechanism by which FTO variants contribute to increased impulsivity, indicating that FTO variants may exert their effect on obesity-promoting behavioral traits at least partially through neuroplastic alterations in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharmili Edwin Thanarajah
- Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany
- Department for Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ruth Hanssen
- Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany
- Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, Policlinic for Endocrinology, Diabetes and Preventive Medicine (PEPD), University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Corina Melzer
- Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany
| | - Marc Tittgemeyer
- Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence in Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-associated Diseases (CECAD), Cologne, Germany
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Kaltenhauser S, Weber CF, Lin H, Mozayan A, Malhotra A, Constable RT, Acosta JN, Falcone GJ, Taylor SN, Ment LR, Sheth KN, Payabvash S. Association of Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference With Imaging Metrics of Brain Integrity and Functional Connectivity in Children Aged 9 to 10 Years in the US, 2016-2018. JAMA Netw Open 2023; 6:e2314193. [PMID: 37200030 PMCID: PMC10196880 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.14193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Importance Aside from widely known cardiovascular implications, higher weight in children may have negative associations with brain microstructure and neurodevelopment. Objective To evaluate the association of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference with imaging metrics that approximate brain health. Design, Setting, and Participants This cross-sectional study used data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study to examine the association of BMI and waist circumference with multimodal neuroimaging metrics of brain health in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses over 2 years. From 2016 to 2018, the multicenter ABCD study recruited more than 11 000 demographically representative children aged 9 to 10 years in the US. Children without any history of neurodevelopmental or psychiatric disorders were included in this study, and a subsample of children who completed 2-year follow-up (34%) was included for longitudinal analysis. Exposures Children's weight, height, waist circumference, age, sex, race and ethnicity, socioeconomic status, handedness, puberty status, and magnetic resonance imaging scanner device were retrieved and included in the analysis. Main Outcomes and Measures Association of preadolescents' BMI z scores and waist circumference with neuroimaging indicators of brain health: cortical morphometry, resting-state functional connectivity, and white matter microstructure and cytostructure. Results A total of 4576 children (2208 [48.3%] female) at a mean (SD) age of 10.0 years (7.6 months) were included in the baseline cross-sectional analysis. There were 609 (13.3%) Black, 925 (20.2%) Hispanic, and 2565 (56.1%) White participants. Of those, 1567 had complete 2-year clinical and imaging information at a mean (SD) age of 12.0 years (7.7 months). In cross-sectional analyses at both time points, higher BMI and waist circumference were associated with lower microstructural integrity and neurite density, most pronounced in the corpus callosum (fractional anisotropy for BMI and waist circumference at baseline and second year: P < .001; neurite density for BMI at baseline: P < .001; neurite density for waist circumference at baseline: P = .09; neurite density for BMI at second year: P = .002; neurite density for waist circumference at second year: P = .05), reduced functional connectivity in reward- and control-related networks (eg, within the salience network for BMI and waist circumference at baseline and second year: P < .002), and thinner brain cortex (eg, for the right rostral middle frontal for BMI and waist circumference at baseline and second year: P < .001). In longitudinal analysis, higher baseline BMI was most strongly associated with decelerated interval development of the prefrontal cortex (left rostral middle frontal: P = .003) and microstructure and cytostructure of the corpus callosum (fractional anisotropy: P = .01; neurite density: P = .02). Conclusions and Relevance In this cross-sectional study, higher BMI and waist circumference among children aged 9 to 10 years were associated with imaging metrics of poorer brain structure and connectivity as well as hindered interval development. Future follow-up data from the ABCD study can reveal long-term neurocognitive implications of excess childhood weight. Imaging metrics that had the strongest association with BMI and waist circumference in this population-level analysis may serve as target biomarkers of brain integrity in future treatment trials of childhood obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Kaltenhauser
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Clara F. Weber
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Huang Lin
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Ali Mozayan
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Ajay Malhotra
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - R. Todd Constable
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Julián N. Acosta
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Guido J. Falcone
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Sarah N. Taylor
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Laura R. Ment
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
- Department of Pediatrics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Kevin N. Sheth
- Department of Neurology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Seyedmehdi Payabvash
- Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
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Brooks SJ, Smith C, Stamoulis C. Excess BMI in early adolescence adversely impacts maturating functional circuits supporting high-level cognition and their structural correlates. Int J Obes (Lond) 2023:10.1038/s41366-023-01303-7. [PMID: 37012426 DOI: 10.1038/s41366-023-01303-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES Adverse effects of excess BMI (affecting 1 in 5 children in the US) on brain circuits during neurodevelopmentally vulnerable periods are incompletely understood. This study investigated BMI-related alterations in maturating functional networks and their underlying brain structures, and high-level cognition in early adolescence. SUBJECTS/METHODS Cross-sectional resting-state fMRI, structural sMRI, neurocognitive task scores, and BMI from 4922 youth [median (IQR) age = 120.0 (13.0) months, 2572 females (52.25%)] from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) cohort were analyzed. Comprehensive topological and morphometric network properties were estimated from fMRI and sMRI, respectively. Cross-validated linear regression models assessed correlations with BMI. Results were reproduced across multiple fMRI datasets. RESULTS Almost 30% of youth had excess BMI, including 736 (15.0%) with overweight and 672 (13.7%) with obesity, and statistically more Black and Hispanic compared to white, Asian and non-Hispanic youth (p < 0.01). Those with obesity or overweight were less physically active, slept less than recommended, snored more frequently, and spent more time using an electronic device (p < 0.01). They also had lower topological efficiency, resilience, connectivity, connectedness and clustering in Default-Mode, dorsal attention, salience, control, limbic, and reward networks (p ≤ 0.04, Cohen's d: 0.07-0.39). Lower cortico-thalamic efficiency and connectivity were estimated only in youth with obesity (p < 0.01, Cohen's d: 0.09-0.19). Both groups had lower cortical thickness, volume and white matter intensity in these networks' constituent structures, particularly anterior cingulate, entorhinal, prefrontal, and lateral occipital cortices (p < 0.01, Cohen's d: 0.12-0.30), which also mediated inverse relationships between BMI and regional functional topologies. Youth with obesity or overweight had lower scores in a task measuring fluid reasoning - a core aspect of cognitive function, which were partially correlated with topological changes (p ≤ 0.04). CONCLUSIONS Excess BMI in early adolescence may be associated with profound aberrant topological alterations in maturating functional circuits and underdeveloped brain structures that adversely impact core aspects of cognitive function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Skylar J Brooks
- Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- University of California Berkeley, Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Calli Smith
- Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Catherine Stamoulis
- Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- Harvard Medical School, Department of Pediatrics, Boston, MA, USA.
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Brain functional and structural magnetic resonance imaging of obesity and weight loss interventions. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:1466-1479. [PMID: 36918706 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02025-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Obesity has tripled over the past 40 years to become a major public health issue, as it is linked with increased mortality and elevated risk for various physical and neuropsychiatric illnesses. Accumulating evidence from neuroimaging studies suggests that obesity negatively affects brain function and structure, especially within fronto-mesolimbic circuitry. Obese individuals show abnormal neural responses to food cues, taste and smell, resting-state activity and functional connectivity, and cognitive tasks including decision-making, inhibitory-control, learning/memory, and attention. In addition, obesity is associated with altered cortical morphometry, a lowered gray/white matter volume, and impaired white matter integrity. Various interventions and treatments including bariatric surgery, the most effective treatment for obesity in clinical practice, as well as dietary, exercise, pharmacological, and neuromodulation interventions such as transcranial direct current stimulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation and neurofeedback have been employed and achieved promising outcomes. These interventions and treatments appear to normalize hyper- and hypoactivations of brain regions involved with reward processing, food-intake control, and cognitive function, and also promote recovery of brain structural abnormalities. This paper provides a comprehensive literature review of the recent neuroimaging advances on the underlying neural mechanisms of both obesity and interventions, in the hope of guiding development of novel and effective treatments.
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Abstract
Most societies witness an ever increasing prevalence of both obesity and dementia, a scenario related to often underestimated individual and public health burden. Overnutrition and weight gain have been linked with abnormal functionality of homoeostasis brain networks and changes in higher cognitive functions such as reward evaluation, executive functions and learning and memory. In parallel, evidence has accumulated that modifiable factors such as obesity and diet impact the gut-brain axis and modulate brain health and cognition through various pathways. Using neuroimaging data from epidemiological studies and randomised clinical trials, we aim to shed light on the underlying mechanisms and to determine both determinants and consequences of obesity and diet at the level of human brain structure and function. We analysed multimodal 3T MRI of about 2600 randomly selected adults (47 % female, 18-80 years of age, BMI 18-47 kg/m2) of the LIFE-Adult study, a deeply phenotyped population-based cohort. In addition, brain MRI data of controlled intervention studies on weight loss and healthy diets acquired in lean, overweight and obese participants may help to understand the role of the gut-brain axis in food craving and cognitive ageing. We find that higher BMI and visceral fat accumulation correlate with accelerated brain age, microstructure of the hypothalamus, lower thickness and connectivity in default mode- and reward-related areas, as well as with subtle grey matter atrophy and white matter lesion load in non-demented individuals. Mediation analyses indicated that higher visceral fat affects brain tissue through systemic low-grade inflammation, and that obesity-related regional changes translate into cognitive disadvantages. Considering longitudinal studies, some, but not all data indicate beneficial effects of weight loss and healthy diets such as plant-based nutrients and dietary patterns on brain ageing and cognition. Confounding effects of concurrent changes in other lifestyle factors or false positives might help to explain these findings. Therefore a more holistic intervention approach, along with open science tools such as data and code sharing, in-depth pre-registration and pooling of data could help to overcome these limitations. In addition, as higher BMI relates to increased head micro-movements during MRI, and as head motion in turn systematically induces image artefacts, future studies need to rigorously control for head motion during MRI to enable valid neuroimaging results. In sum, our results support the view that overweight and obesity are intertwined with markers of brain health in the general population, and that weight loss and plant-based diets may help to promote brain plasticity. Meta-analyses and longitudinal cohort studies are underway to further differentiate causation from correlation in obesity- and nutrition-brain research.
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Long-term changes in insula-mesolimbic structural and functional connectivity in obese patients after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Clin Auton Res 2022; 32:237-247. [PMID: 35864386 DOI: 10.1007/s10286-022-00877-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Brain imaging studies have shown insula-related functional and structural abnormalities in patients with obesity. Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is currently an effective procedure for treating obesity, which promotes acute recovery of brain functional and structural abnormalities in obese patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term impact of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy on insula-related structural and functional connectivity. METHODS Diffusion tensor imaging and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging were employed to investigate laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy-induced changes in insula-related structural connectivity and corresponding resting-state functional connectivity in 25 obese patients prior to (PreLSG) and 12 months post-surgery (PostLSG12). RESULTS Results showed significant increases in fractional anisotropy and axial diffusivity between the right insula and anterior cingulate cortex, and higher fractional anisotropy of left insula-putamen, left insula-caudate and anterior cingulate cortex-right posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus at PostLSG12 compared with PreLSG. There were significant negative correlations between axial diffusivity of right insula-anterior cingulate cortex and body mass index, and fractional anisotropy of right insula-anterior cingulate cortex with scores on external eating at PostLSG12. Anxiety and depressive status ratings were negatively correlated with fractional anisotropy of left insula-putamen at PostLSG12. In addition, there was a significant decrease in resting-state functional connectivity between left insula and left caudate. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate long-term changes in insula-related structural and functional connectivity abnormalities promoted by laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, which highlight its strong association with long-term weight loss and improvement in eating behaviors.
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Alterations in Functional and Structural Connectivity of Basal Ganglia Network in Patients with Obesity. Brain Topogr 2022; 35:453-463. [PMID: 35780276 DOI: 10.1007/s10548-022-00906-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Obesity is related to overconsumption of high-calorie (HiCal) food, which is modulated by brain reward and inhibitory control circuitries. The basal ganglia (BG) are a key set of nuclei within the reward circuitry, but obesity-associated functional and structural abnormalities of BG have not been well studied. Resting-state functional MRI with independent component analysis (ICA) and probabilistic tractography were employed to investigate differences in BG-related functional-(FC) and structural connectivity (SC) between 32 patients with obesity (OB) and 35 normal-weight (NW) participants. Compared to NW, OB showed significantly lower FC strength in the caudate nucleus within the BG network, and seed-based FC analysis showed lower FC between caudate and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), which was negatively correlated with craving for HiCal food cues. Further SC analysis revealed that OB showed lower SC than NW between left caudate and left DLPFC as measured with fractional anisotropy (FA). Alterations in FC and SC between caudate and DLPFC in obese patients, which highlights the role of BG network in modulating the balance between reward and inhibitory-control.
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Joshi A, Schott M, la Fleur SE, Barrot M. Role of the striatal dopamine, GABA and opioid systems in mediating feeding and fat intake. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 139:104726. [PMID: 35691472 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Food intake, which is a highly reinforcing behavior, provides nutrients required for survival in all animals. However, when fat and sugar consumption goes beyond the daily needs, it can favor obesity. The prevalence and severity of this health problem has been increasing with time. Besides covering nutrient and energy needs, food and in particular its highly palatable components, such as fats, also induce feelings of joy and pleasure. Experimental evidence supports a role of the striatal complex and of the mesolimbic dopamine system in both feeding and food-related reward processing, with the nucleus accumbens as a key target for reward or reinforcing-associated signaling during food intake behavior. In this review, we provide insights concerning the impact of feeding, including fat intake, on different types of receptors and neurotransmitters present in the striatal complex. Reciprocally, we also cover the evidence for a modulation of palatable food intake by different neurochemical systems in the striatal complex and in particular the nucleus accumbens, with a focus on dopamine, GABA and the opioid system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anil Joshi
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France; Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Laboratory of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Amsterdam Gastroenterology & Metabolism, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Metabolism and Reward Group, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Marion Schott
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France
| | - Susanne Eva la Fleur
- Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Laboratory of Endocrinology, Department of Clinical Chemistry, Amsterdam Gastroenterology & Metabolism, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Metabolism and Reward Group, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An Institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW), Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Michel Barrot
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Université de Strasbourg, Institut des Neurosciences Cellulaires et Intégratives, Strasbourg, France.
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Engel C, Wirkner K, Zeynalova S, Baber R, Binder H, Ceglarek U, Enzenbach C, Fuchs M, Hagendorff A, Henger S, Hinz A, Rauscher FG, Reusche M, Riedel-Heller SG, Röhr S, Sacher J, Sander C, Schroeter ML, Tarnok A, Treudler R, Villringer A, Wachter R, Witte AV, Thiery J, Scholz M, Loeffler M. Cohort Profile: The LIFE-Adult-Study. Int J Epidemiol 2022; 52:e66-e79. [PMID: 35640047 PMCID: PMC9908058 DOI: 10.1093/ije/dyac114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Engel
- Corresponding author. Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, Leipzig University, Haertelstrasse 16–18, 04107 Leipzig, Germany. E-mail:
| | | | | | - Ronny Baber
- Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany,Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hans Binder
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Bioinformatics, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Uta Ceglarek
- Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany,Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Cornelia Enzenbach
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany,Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael Fuchs
- Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany,Division Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Phoniatrics and Audiology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andreas Hagendorff
- Department of Cardiology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sylvia Henger
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany,Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andreas Hinz
- Department of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Franziska G Rauscher
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany,Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matthias Reusche
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany,Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Steffi G Riedel-Heller
- Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Medicine and Public Health (ISAP), Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Susanne Röhr
- Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Medicine and Public Health (ISAP), Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany,Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Julia Sacher
- Cognitive Neurology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany,Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christian Sander
- Leipzig Research Centre for Civilization Diseases, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matthias L Schroeter
- Cognitive Neurology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany,Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Attila Tarnok
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany,Department of Preclinical Development and Validation, Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Regina Treudler
- Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Allergology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany,Leipzig Interdisciplinary Allergy Center (LICA)—Comprehensive Allergy Center, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Arno Villringer
- Cognitive Neurology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany,Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rolf Wachter
- Clinic and Policlinic for Cardiology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - A Veronica Witte
- Cognitive Neurology, University of Leipzig Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany,Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
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Pan X, Zhang M, Tian A, Chen L, Sun Z, Wang L, Chen P. Exploring the genetic correlation between obesity-related traits and regional brain volumes: Evidence from UK Biobank cohort. Neuroimage Clin 2022; 33:102870. [PMID: 34872017 PMCID: PMC8648807 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2021.102870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine whether there is a correlation between obesity-related variants and regional brain volumes. METHODS Based on a mixed linear model (MLM), we analyzed the association between 1,498 obesity-related SNPs in the GWAS Catalog and 164 regional brain volumes from 29,420 participants (discovery cohort N = 19,997, validation cohort N = 9,423) in UK Biobank. The statistically significant brain regions in association analysis were classified into 6 major neural networks (dopamine (DA) motive system, central autonomic network (CAN), cognitive emotion regulation, visual object recognition network, auditory object recognition network, and sensorimotor system). We summarized the association between obesity-related variants (metabolically healthy obesity variants, metabolically unhealthy obesity variants, and unclassified obesity-related variants) and neural networks. RESULTS From association analysis, we determined that 17 obesity-related SNPs were associated with 51 regional brain volumes. Several single SNPs (e.g., rs13107325-T (SLC39A8), rs1876829-C (CRHR1), and rs1538170-T (CENPW)) were associated with multiple regional brain volumes. In addition, several single brain regions (e.g., the white matter, the grey matter in the putamen, subcallosal cortex, and insular cortex) were associated with multiple obesity-related variants. The metabolically healthy obesity variants were mainly associated with the regional brain volumes in the DA motive system, sensorimotor system and cognitive emotion regulation neural networks, while metabolically unhealthy obesity variants were mainly associated with regional brain volumes in the CAN and total tissue volumes. In addition, unclassified obesity-related variants were mainly associated with auditory object recognition network and total tissue volumes. The results of MeSH (medical subject headings) enrichment analysis showed that obesity genes associated with brain structure pointed to the functional relatedness with 5-Hydroxytryptamine receptor 4 (5-HT4), growth differentiation factor 5 (GDF5), and high mobility group protein AT-hook 2 (HMGA2 protein). CONCLUSION In summary, we found that obesity-related variants were associated with different brain volume measures. On the basis of the multiple SNPs, we found that metabolically healthy and unhealthy obesity-related SNPs were associated with different brain neural networks. Based on our enrichment analysis, modifications of the 5-HT4 pathway might be a promising therapeutic strategy for obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingchen Pan
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China; Department of Genetics, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Miaoran Zhang
- Department of Pathology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Aowen Tian
- Department of Pathology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Lanlan Chen
- School of Clinical Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, 130000, China
| | - Zewen Sun
- Department of Genetics, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China
| | - Liying Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
| | - Peng Chen
- Department of Genetics, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China; Department of Pathology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin, China.
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Witte V. Adipositas und Gehirngesundheit. PSYCHOTHERAPEUT 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00278-020-00483-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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