Beyond BMI: cardiometabolic measures as predictors of impulsivity and white matter changes in adolescents
Anna Prunell-Castañé, María Ángeles Jurado, Jonatan Ottino-González, Xavier Prats-Soteras, Consuelo Sánchez Garre, Neus Cano Marco,, Paloma Salas Gómez-Pablos, Isabel García-García, Maite Garolera
ABSTRACT: Obesity is characterized by cardiometabolic and neurocognitive changes. However, how these two factors relate to each other in this population is unknown. We tested the association that cardiometabolic measures may have with impulse behaviors and white matter microstructure in adolescents with and without an excess weight. One hundred and eight adolescents (43 normal-weight and 65 overweight/obesity; 11-19 years old) were medically and psychologically (Temperament Character Inventory Revised, Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18, Conners’ Continuous Performance Test-II, Stroop Color and Word Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Kirby Delay Discounting Task) evaluated. A subsample of participants (n = 56) underwent a brain magnetic resonance imaging acquisition. In adolescents, higher triglycerides and having a body mass index indicative of overweight/obesity predicted a more impulsive performance in Conners’ Continuous Performance Test-II (higher commission errors). In addition, higher glucose and diastolic blood pressure values predicted increments in the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire-R18 emotional eating scale. Neuroanatomically, cingulum fractional anisotropy showed a negative relationship with glycated hemoglobin. The evaluation of the neurocognitive differences associated with obesity, usually based on body mass index, should be complemented with cardiometabolic measures.
Brain Struct Funct. 2023 May;228(3-4):751-760. doi: 10.1007/s00429-023-02615-0. Epub 2023 Feb 13. PMID: 36781445; PMCID: PMC10147758.
View: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10147758/
Body mass index, systemic inflammation and cognitive performance in adolescents: A cross-sectional study
Xavier Caldú, Xavier Prats-Soteras, Isabel García-García, Anna Prunell-Castañé, Consuelo Sánchez-Garre, Neus Cano, Encarnació Tor, María-José Sender-Palacios, Jonatan Ottino-González, Maite Garolera, María Ángeles Jurado
ABSTRACT
Background: Excessive body weight has been related to lower cognitive performance. One of the mechanisms through which excess body weight may affect cognition is inflammation.
Hypothesis: Our hypothesis is that both body mass index (BMI) and circulating levels of inflammatory biomarkers will be negatively related to cognitive performance.
Design: Cross-sectional study.
Setting: Users of the public health centres of the Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa (Terrassa, Spain) between 2010 and 2017 aged 12-21 years.
Participants: One hundred and five adolescents (46 normoweight, 18 overweight, 41 obese).
Measurements: Levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) and fibrinogen were determined from blood samples. Cognitive performance was evaluated and six cognitive composites were obtained: working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, decision-making, verbal memory, and fine motor speed. A single multivariate general lineal model was used to assess the influence of the four inflammatory biomarkers, as well as participants’ BMI, sex, and age on the 6 cognitive indexes.
Results: An inverse relationship between BMI and inhibitory control (F = 5.688, p = .019; β = -0.212, p = .031), verbal memory (F = 5.404, p = .022; β = -0.255, p = .009) and fine motor speed (F = 9.038, p = .003; β = -0.319, p = .001) was observed. Levels of TNFα and fibrinogen were inversely related to inhibitory control (F = 5.055, p = .027; β = -0.226, p = .021) and verbal memory (F = 4.732, p = .032; β = -0.274, p = .005), respectively.
Limitations: The cross-sectional nature of the study, the use of cognitive tests designed for clinical purposes, and the use of BMI as a proxy for adiposity are limitations of our study that must be taken into account when interpreting results.
Conclusions: Our data indicate that some components of executive functions, together with verbal memory, are sensitive to specific obesity-related inflammatory agents at early ages.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2023 Oct;156:106298. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106298. Epub 2023 May 23. PMID: 37295218.
Curr Alzheimer Res. 2020;17(2):158-167. doi: 10.2174/1567205017666200317093341. PMID: 32183672.