Body mass index, systemic inflammation and cognitive performance in adolescents: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Excessive body weight has been related to lower cognitive performance. One of the mechanisms through which excess body weight may affect cognition is inflammation.

Hypothesis: Our hypothesis is that both body mass index (BMI) and circulating levels of inflammatory biomarkers will be negatively related to cognitive performance.

Effect of the catechol-O-methyltransferase Val Met polymorphism on theory of mind in obesity.

Obesity is often accompanied with psychosocial adjustment problems, such as difficulties in social interactions and social withdrawal. A key aspect of social cognition is theory of mind, which allows inferring mental states, feelings, motivations, and beliefs of others and to use this information to predict their future behaviour. Theory of mind is highly dependent on prefrontal dopaminergic neurotransmission, which is regulated by catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) activity.

Functional network centrality in obesity: A resting-state and task fMRI study.

Obesity is associated with structural and functional alterations in brain areas that are often functionally distinct and anatomically distant. This suggests that obesity is associated with differences in functional connectivity of regions distributed across the brain. However, studies addressing whole brain functional connectivity in obesity remain scarce.

The interaction effect between BDNF val66met polymorphism and obesity on executive functions and frontal structure.

The prevalence of obesity is increasing worldwide. Previous research has shown a relationship between obesity and both executive functioning alterations and frontal cortex volume reductions. The Brain Derived Neurotrophic Factor val66met polymorphism, involved in eating behavior, has also been associated with executive functions and prefrontal cortex volume, but to date it has not been studied in relation to obesity.

Frontal cortical thinning and subcortical volume reductions in early adulthood obesity.

Obesity depends on homeostatic and hedonic food intake behavior, mediated by brain plasticity changes in cortical and subcortical structures. The aim of this study was to investigate cortical thickness and subcortical volumes of regions related to food intake behavior in a healthy young adult sample with obesity. Thirty-seven volunteers, 19 with obesity (age=33.

Dopamine genes (DRD2/ANKK1-TaqA1 and DRD4-7R) and executive function: their interaction with obesity.

Obesity is a multifactorial disease caused by the interaction between genotype and environment, and it is considered to be a type of addictive alteration. The A1 allele of the DRD2/ANKK1-TaqIA gene has been associated with addictive disorders, with obesity and with the performance in executive functions. The 7 repeat allele of the DRD4 gene has likewise been associated with the performance in executive functions, as well as with addictive behaviors and impulsivity.

Alterations of the salience network in obesity: a resting-state fMRI study.

Obesity is a major health problem in modern societies. It has been related to abnormal functional organization of brain networks believed to process homeostatic (internal) and/or salience (external) information. This study used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging analysis to delineate possible functional changes in brain networks related to obesity.

[Cardiovascular risk factors: a follow up study in a non-diabetic population].

Objectives: To evaluate the cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF), their relationship with insulin resistance (IR) and pancreatic beta-cell (PBC) function in a known non-diabetic population, and to follow its progress over a period of 5 years.

Design: Nested case-control study developed in two phases: the identification and characterisation of the cohort to study and the follow up.

Setting: Urban Primary Care Centre.