Integrated multi-modal brain signatures predict sex-specific obesity status
Ravi R Bhatt1, Svetoslav Todorov2, Riya Sood2
1Imaging Genetics Center, Mark and Mary Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA, 90089, USA.
Brain Communications
|April 24, 2023
Summary
This study reveals distinct brain patterns in males and females associated with obesity, using multi-modal neuroimaging. These sex-specific signatures offer insights for personalized obesity treatments.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Obesity Research
- Sex Differences in Medicine
Background:
- Sex is a critical biological variable influencing obesity development and treatment outcomes.
- Previous neuroimaging studies identified obesity-related brain mechanisms but lacked multi-modal integration for sex-specific analysis.
- Understanding sex-specific brain signatures is crucial for developing targeted obesity interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate sex-specific brain signatures associated with obesity using a data-driven, multi-modal neuroimaging approach.
- To determine if integrated clinical and neuroimaging data can differentiate individuals based on obesity status and sex.
- To identify sex-specific neural mechanisms underlying obesity and altered ingestive behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Employed a data-driven approach analyzing multi-modal MRI data (morphometry, resting-state fMRI, diffusion-weighted imaging) and clinical/behavioral features.
- Utilized Data Integration Analysis for Biomarker discovery using Latent Components (DIABLO) to differentiate groups.
- Included participants with high body mass index (BMI > 25 kg/m²) and non-obese BMI (19-20 kg/m²), assessing mood, early life adversity, and ingestive behaviors.
Main Results:
- Multi-modal models accurately differentiated high BMI from non-obese individuals (77% balanced accuracy) and high BMI males from females (75% balanced accuracy).
- Identified sex-specific differences in brain networks including cortico-basal-ganglia-thalamic-cortico loop, choroid plexus-CSF system, salience, sensorimotor, and default-mode networks.
- These neural differences correlated with early life adversity, mental health, and somatosensation.
Conclusions:
- Multi-modal neuroimaging reveals distinct sex-specific cortical mechanisms underlying obesity.
- These findings highlight the importance of considering sex as a biological variable in obesity research.
- The identified sex-specific brain signatures have significant clinical implications for developing tailored obesity interventions.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:14Brain Imaging
269
Brain imaging technologies provide critical insights into both the structure and function of the human brain, enabling medical professionals and researchers to diagnose, study, and treat neurological disorders or psychiatric disorders more effectively.
These technologies include computerized axial tomography (CAT or CT scans), positron-emission tomography (PET scans), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and Transcranial Magnetic...
These technologies include computerized axial tomography (CAT or CT scans), positron-emission tomography (PET scans), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), and Transcranial Magnetic...
269
01:24Obesity
556
The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in...
556