Increased body mass index is associated with specific regional alterations in brain structure.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Although obesity is associated with structural changes in brain grey matter, findings have been inconsistent and the precise nature of these changes is unclear. Inconsistencies may partly be due to the use of different volumetric morphometry methods, and the inclusion of participants with comorbidities that exert independent effects on brain structure. The latter concern is particularly critical when sample sizes are modest. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between cortical grey matter and body mass index (BMI), in healthy participants, excluding confounding comorbidities and using a large sample size.

Subjects

A total of 202 self-reported healthy volunteers were studied using surface-based morphometry, which permits the measurement

SUBMITTER: Medic N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4936515 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature