Abnormal cholesterol is associated with prefrontal white matter abnormalities among obese adults, a diffusion tensor...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Metabolic Health
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• The brain has the highest cholesterol concentration in the body.
• While endogenous cholesterol synthesis dominates, exogenous cholesterol's brain entry is debated.
• Obesity is associated with altered brain structure and function.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between abnormal cholesterol profiles and white matter integrity in lean and overweight/obese adults.
• To determine if systemic cholesterol influences brain microstructural integrity.

Main Methods:

• Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to assess white matter microstructural integrity (fractional anisotropy).
• Participants (22 lean, 39 overweight/obese) provided food diaries and fasting blood lipid levels.
• Voxelwise correlational analyses controlled for age, diabetes, and white matter hyperintensities.

Main Results:

• Significant negative associations were found between abnormal cholesterol profiles and fractional anisotropy in the prefrontal lobes for all participants.
• Splitting by weight status revealed no associations in lean individuals.
• Overweight/obese individuals showed expanded associations in the frontal lobes, linking cholesterol to reduced white matter integrity.

Conclusions:

• Abnormal cholesterol profiles correlate with reduced white matter microstructural integrity, particularly in overweight/obese individuals.
• Systemic cholesterol may play a role in the observed brain alterations associated with obesity.
• These findings highlight a potential mechanism linking metabolic health and brain structure.