Structural and Functional Brain Changes in Children and Adolescents With Obesity

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Pediatric Health

Background:

• Pediatric obesity rates have surged globally over the past 30 years.
• Obesity in children is linked to adverse health outcomes, including neurodevelopmental issues.
• Understanding the brain's role in pediatric obesity is crucial for effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies on the brain in pediatric obesity.
• To examine parental influences and interventions affecting the brain in pediatric obesity.
• To synthesize findings on how obesity impacts brain structure and function during child and adolescent development.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature search of MRI studies published between January 2011 and March 2024.
• Inclusion of studies focusing on the pediatric population and brain imaging.
• Analysis of findings related to brain structure, function, parental factors, and interventions.

Main Results:

• Altered brain structures and functions in pediatric obesity are developmental stage-dependent.
• Limbic regions (hippocampus, amygdala, striatum) and prefrontal cortex are significantly affected by higher body mass index.
• Children of mothers with obesity or gestational diabetes exhibit brain alterations independent of their own weight status.
• Increased activation in reward pathways and decreased activation in interoceptive regions observed in response to palatable foods.
• Interventions (behavioral, exercise, weight-loss) demonstrated positive effects on brain integrity and function.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric obesity significantly alters brain development, particularly affecting reward and interoceptive processing regions.
• Maternal health during pregnancy (obesity, gestational diabetes) can impact offspring brain development irrespective of the child's weight.
• Interventions targeting pediatric obesity show potential for reversing negative brain changes and improving neurodevelopmental outcomes.