Does obesity put your brain at risk?

Background And Aims: The negative impact of obesity on the brain is an issue of increasing clinical interest. Hence, this review summarized evidence linking obesity with brain morphology (gray and white matter volume), brain function (functional activation and connectivity), and cognitive function.

Methods: A criticals review of the relevant published English articles between 2008 and 2022, using PubMed, Google Scholar and Science Direct. Studies were included if (1) an experimental/intervention study was conducted (2) the experiment/intervention included both high fat diet or body weight, whether it could counteract the negative effect brain morphological or functional change. Critical analysis for a supporting study was also carried out.

Results: Brain dysfunction can be recognized as result from neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, change in gut-brain hormonal functionality decrease regional blood flow or diminished hippocampal size and change in gut-brain hormonal functionality; which collectively translate into a cycle of deranged metabolic control and cognitive deficits, often obesity referred as changes in brain biochemistry and brain function. Recently, a few changes in brain structure and functions could be traced back even to obese children or adult. Evidence here suggested that obesity elicits early neuroinflammation effects, which likely disrupt the normal metabolism in hypothalamus, and hippocampus result from brain insulin resistance. The mechanisms of these robust effects are discussed herein.

Conclusion: Brain disease is inseparable from obesity itself and requires a better recognition to allow future therapeutic targeting for treatment of obesity. Additional research is needed to identify the best treatment targets and to identify if these changes reversible.