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Neuronal correlates of reduced memory performance in overweight subjects
Krunoslav T Stingl1, Stephanie Kullmann, Caroline Ketterer
1MEG Center, University Tübingen, Germany. krunoslav.stingl@med.uni-tuebingen.de
Neuroimage
|December 27, 2011
Summary
Obesity is linked to poorer cognitive function, including executive function and memory. This study found that higher body weight in obese individuals is associated with reduced task performance and altered brain activity, particularly in areas related to executive function.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cognitive Psychology
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Excessive body weight is increasingly linked to cognitive impairments, affecting executive function, attention, and memory.
- Understanding the neural mechanisms underlying these cognitive changes in obesity is crucial for developing targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between body weight and executive function using a visual working memory task.
- To quantify the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and behavioral and neural responses during cognitive tasks.
Main Methods:
- A visual working memory task (one-back) was administered to 34 lean and 34 obese subjects.
- Behavioral data (reaction time, accuracy) and magnetic brain activity were recorded using magnetoencephalography (MEG).
- Stimuli included food and non-food pictures matched for visual complexity.
Main Results:
- Obese subjects exhibited reduced behavioral performance (slower reaction times, lower accuracy) irrespective of stimulus type.
- A positive correlation was found between BMI and right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) activity for food stimuli.
- A negative correlation between BMI and neuronal activity was observed in the occipital cortex for both food and non-food stimuli.
Conclusions:
- Increased body weight is associated with diminished cognitive task performance and distinct alterations in brain activity.
- These neurophysiological changes in obesity may impact executive functions, information encoding, and retrieval processes.
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