Obesity Linked to Changes in Brain Structure

"We found that having higher levels of fat distributed over the body is associated with smaller volumes of important structures of the brain, including gray matter structures that are located in the center of the brain," Dr. Dekkers said. "Interestingly, we observed that these associations are different for men and women, suggesting that gender is an important modifier of the link between fat percentage and the size of specific brain structures." Analysis showed that, in men, higher total body fat percentage correlated with lower gray matter volume overall and in specific structures involved in the reward circuitry and the movement system. In women, total body fat only showed a significant negative association with the globus pallidus, a structure involved in voluntary movement. For both men and women, higher total body fat percentage increased the likelihood of microscopic changes to the brain's white matter. https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/obesity-linked-to-changes-in-brain-structure-318539?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=72032609&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--BRVsCPP60G3nQSmmWQjzfmWbAOZfdcnaiZNTHkxgbarRgFvsrYgka13jjdXfaDGfqEamENot4jsxNkEoNZa2CSV9GCA&_hsmi=72032609