Related Experiment Videos
Blood-Brain Barriers in Obesity
Elizabeth M Rhea1,2, Therese S Salameh3,4, Aric F Logsdon3,4
1Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA. meredime@uw.edu.
The AAPS Journal
|April 12, 2017
Summary
Obesity impacts brain health, affecting the blood-brain barrier and increasing Alzheimer's disease risk. Weight loss may reverse these detrimental effects on cognitive function and brain structure.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Metabolic Disorders
- Aging
Background:
- The U.S. obesity epidemic, while slowing, remains a significant health and financial burden.
- Obesity is linked to severe health issues including cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, cognitive decline, and Alzheimer's disease.
- Recent research highlights the central nervous system's (CNS) role in obesity and energy homeostasis regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how obesity alters blood-brain barrier (BBB) structure and function.
- To examine the influence of obesity on Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis.
- To explore the effects of obesity on brain protein transport and the potential for weight loss to reverse these changes.
Main Methods:
- Review of current literature on obesity, CNS, BBB, and Alzheimer's disease.
- Analysis of studies examining structural and functional changes in the BBB due to obesity.
- Examination of research on protein transport alterations and cognitive impacts in obesity.
Main Results:
- Obesity negatively affects BBB integrity and function.
- Obesity exacerbates Alzheimer's disease pathology through various mechanisms.
- Altered circulating protein levels and transport across the BBB are observed in obesity.
Conclusions:
- Obesity poses a significant threat to brain health, impacting the BBB and increasing dementia risk.
- Weight loss interventions show promise in mitigating obesity-related neurological damage and potentially reversing cognitive decline.
- Further research is needed to fully elucidate the complex interplay between obesity, the BBB, and neurodegenerative diseases.