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research article

White adipose tissue distribution and amount are associated with increased white matter connectivity

Okudzhava, Liana
•
Schulz, Stephanie
•
Fischi-Gomez, Elda
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April 1, 2024
Human Brain Mapping

Obesity represents a significant public health concern and is linked to various comorbidities and cognitive impairments. Previous research indicates that elevated body mass index (BMI) is associated with structural changes in white matter (WM). However, a deeper characterization of body composition is required, especially considering the links between abdominal obesity and metabolic dysfunction. This study aims to enhance our understanding of the relationship between obesity and WM connectivity by directly assessing the amount and distribution of fat tissue. Whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was employed to evaluate total adipose tissue (TAT), visceral adipose tissue (VAT), and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), while MR liver spectroscopy measured liver fat content in 63 normal-weight, overweight, and obese males. WM connectivity was quantified using microstructure-informed tractography. Connectome-based predictive modeling was used to predict body composition metrics based on WM connectomes. Our analysis revealed a positive dependency between BMI, TAT, SAT, and WM connectivity in brain regions involved in reward processing and appetite regulation, such as the insula, nucleus accumbens, and orbitofrontal cortex. Increased connectivity was also observed in cognitive control and inhibition networks, including the middle frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex. No significant associations were found between WM connectivity and VAT or liver fat. Our findings suggest that altered neural communication between these brain regions may affect cognitive processes, emotional regulation, and reward perception in individuals with obesity, potentially contributing to weight gain. While our study did not identify a link between WM connectivity and VAT or liver fat, further investigation of the role of various fat depots and metabolic factors in brain networks is required to advance obesity prevention and treatment approaches.|Obesity and brain connectivity: Our study reveals increased connectivity in key brain regions involved in appetite, reward, and cognitive control, providing insights into mechanisms driving overeating and weight gain. image

  • Details
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Type
research article
DOI
10.1002/hbm.26654
Web of Science ID

WOS:001189346800001

Author(s)
Okudzhava, Liana
Schulz, Stephanie
Fischi-Gomez, Elda
Girard, Gabriel
Machann, Juergen
Koch, Philipp J.
Thiran, Jean-Philippe  
Muente, Thomas F.
Heldmann, Marcus
Date Issued

2024-04-01

Publisher

Wiley

Published in
Human Brain Mapping
Volume

45

Issue

5

Article Number

e26654

Subjects

Life Sciences & Biomedicine

•

Adipose Tissue

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Connectome-Based Predictive Modeling

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Obesity

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Structural Connectivity

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

EPFL

EPFL units
IEM  
FunderGrant Number

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

Available on Infoscience
April 3, 2024
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/206984
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