The ramifications of these findings, not yet fully clear, could be of significant importance. Smaller gray matter volume suggests loss of neurons, and changes to the white matter could adversely affect the transmission of signals within brain networks. Since the smaller subcortical grey matter volumes are also known to play a role in the food-reward circuitry, these changes may also make it more difficult for obese people to control their weight, Dr. Dekkers said, although more research will be needed to support that connection.
The reason for obesity's adverse effects on the brain are not precisely known. Research has shown that the low-grade inflammation characteristic of obesity can have harmful effects on brain tissue. There is evidence that cellular responses produced in the brain due to inflammation may be behind these effects.
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The study looked at overall body fat percentage and did not distinguish between the different types of fat in the body, which Dr. Dekkers said may be an area for additional research. Of particular interest is the visceral white fat found around the abdominal organs. This type of fat, also known as belly fat, is part of metabolic syndrome, a group of factors that increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
"For future research, it would be of great interest whether differences in body fat distribution are related to differences in brain morphological structure, as visceral fat is a known risk factor for metabolic disease and is linked to systemic low-grade inflammation," said the study's senior author, Hildo Lamb, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Cardio Vascular Imaging Group of Leiden University Medical Center.
"Obesity, Brain Volume, and White Matter Microstructure at MRI: A Cross-sectional UK Biobank Study." Collaborating with Drs. Dekkers and Lamb was Philip R. Jansen, M.D., M.Sc.
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