Kleinere hersenen bij overgewicht*
Uit een kleine Amerikaanse studie blijkt dat mensen met overgewicht op latere leeftijd gemiddeld genomen een kleinere hersenomvang hebben. De onderzoekers bestudeerden hersenscans van 94 mensen van ca.
70 jaar oud.
Het brein van de deelnemers met overgewicht bleek gemiddeld 6 procent kleiner te zijn dan de hersenen van de deelnemers zonder overgewicht. Mensen met flink overgewicht hadden zelfs gemiddeld 8 procent minder hersenen. Bij de zwaardere deelnemers bleken vooral de temporale en frontale hersenkwab in massa afgenomen, de hersengebieden die belangrijk zijn voor geheugen en planning. Volgens de wetenschappers suggereert het onderzoek dat het brein van mensen met overgewicht op latere leeftijd relatief snel krimpt. Ze vermoeden verder dat de afname in hersenmassa het risico op dementie vergroot. Het brein van de mensen met overgewicht uit de studie zag er ongeveer acht jaar ouder uit dan de hersenen van leeftijdsgenoten zonder overgewicht zei hoofdonderzoeker Paul Thompson, bij mensen met flink overgewicht (obesitas) leken de hersenen zelfs 16 jaar ouder.”
Brain structure and obesity
Cyrus A. Raji 1 2 , April J. Ho 3 , Neelroop N. Parikshak 3, James T. Becker 4 5 6, Oscar L. Lopez 6, Lewis H. Kuller 7, Xue Hua 3, Alex D. Leow 3, Arthur W. Toga 3, Paul M. Thompson 3 *
1Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
2Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
3Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, Department of Neurology, University of California Los Angeles, School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California
4Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
5Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
6Department of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
7Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
*Correspondence to Paul M. Thompson, Professor of Neurology, Laboratory of Neuro Imaging, Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine, 635 Charles E. Young Drive South, Suite 225E, Los Angeles, CA 90095-7332
Cyrus A. Raji and April J. Ho contributed equally to this work.
Funded by:
NIA
NIBIB
NCRR; Grant Number: AG016570, EB01651, RR019771
National Institute of Aging; Grant Number: AG 20098, AG05133, AG15928
American Heart Association; Grant Number: 0815465D
Abstract
Obesity is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular health problems including diabetes, hypertension, and stroke. These cardiovascular afflictions increase risk for cognitive decline and dementia, but it is unknown whether these factors, specifically obesity and Type II diabetes, are associated with specific patterns of brain atrophy. We used tensor-based morphometry (TBM) to examine gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) volume differences in 94 elderly subjects who remained cognitively normal for at least 5 years after their scan. Bivariate analyses with corrections for multiple comparisons strongly linked body mass index (BMI), fasting plasma insulin (FPI) levels, and Type II Diabetes Mellitus (DM2) with atrophy in frontal, temporal, and subcortical brain regions. A multiple regression model, also correcting for multiple comparisons, revealed that BMI was still negatively correlated with brain atrophy (FDR <5%), while DM2 and FPI were no longer associated with any volume differences. In an Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) model controlling for age, gender, and race, obese subjects with a high BMI (BMI > 30) showed atrophy in the frontal lobes, anterior cingulate gyrus, hippocampus, and thalamus compared with individuals with a normal BMI (18.5-25). Overweight subjects (BMI: 25-30) had atrophy in the basal ganglia and corona radiata of the WM. Overall brain volume did not differ between overweight and obese persons. Higher BMI was associated with lower brain volumes in overweight and obese elderly subjects. Obesity is therefore associated with detectable brain volume deficits in cognitively normal elderly subjects. Hum Brain Mapp, 2009.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) 10.1002/hbm.20870 (Augustus
2009)
