Associations Between Body Weight, Hippocampal Volume, and Tissue Signal Intensity in 12- to 18-Year-Olds.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

The hippocampus is a key structure in feeding behaviors and weight regulation. Obesity may lead to disruptions in hippocampal structure. In animals, obesity-related factors (e.g., high-fat/sugar foods) are associated with hippocampal insult (e.g., alterations in the blood brain barrier). In humans, individuals with obesity, relative to healthy weight, have smaller hippocampal volumes. Few studies have examined the association between body weight and the hippocampus during adolescence, a critical brain development period. This study examined hippocampal volume and tissue signal intensity in adolescents across the weight spectrum.

Methods

Structural magnetic resonance imaging and anthropomorphic data were available for 102 12- to 18-year-old adolescents (53% female;

SUBMITTER: Mestre Z 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7927957 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature