Altered effective connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and caudate in children with overweight and obesity
Authors' conclusion
The current study provides novel evidence for the neural hierarchical basis of childhood obesity (especially the caudate→SFG, SFG→vmPFC and vmPFC→SFG connectivity), suggesting that interventions targeting reward processing and inhibition control may have important implications for childhood obesity.
Study context
- Population
- Children with overweight/obesity and normal-weight children
- Participants
- 38 vs 68
- Comparison
- Children with overweight/obesity vs normal weight
- OW/OBn = 38
- Normal weight (NW)n = 68reference
- Outcome
- Functional and effective connectivity between reward and inhibitory control systems
- Follow-up
- Baseline
Methodological detailsresting-state fMRI, spectral dynamic causal modeling, machine learning, one-year follow-up
- Resting-state fMRI
- Spectral dynamic causal modeling
- Machine learning
- One-year follow-up
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Stronger functional connectivity (FC) between left superior frontal gyrus (SFG) and left caudate in OW/OB vs NW (adjusted for age, sex, head motion)
- Weaker FC between left SFG and right ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in OW/OB vs NW (adjusted for age, sex, head motion)
- Stronger negative effective connectivity (EC) from left caudate to left SFG in OW/OB vs NW (Bayesian contrasts)
- Weaker negative EC from left SFG to right vmPFC in OW/OB vs NW (Bayesian contrasts)
- Weaker positive EC from right vmPFC to left SFG in OW/OB vs NW (Bayesian contrasts)
Further findings
Prediction of eating behaviour change by baseline connectivity · one year
- Baseline caudate→caudate and vmPFC→SFG connectivity predicted changes in children's eating behaviours one year later
Original publication
Altered effective connectivity between the prefrontal cortex and caudate in children with overweight and obesity. Int J Obes (Lond). Published 13 May 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →