From the reward network to whole-brain metrics: structural connectivity in adolescents and young adults according to body mass index and genetic risk of obesity
Authors' conclusion
We provide evidence that, in healthy adolescents and young adults, higher BMI-z is associated with higher connectivity at the whole-brain level and lower connectivity of the reward network. We did not find the FTO polymorphism to correlate with structural connectivity. Future longitudinal studies with larger sample sizes are needed to assess how genetic determinants of obesity change brain structural connectivity and behavior.
Study context
- Population
- Adolescents and young adults aged 10–21 years, body mass index (BMI) z-score range −1.76 to 2.69
- Participants
- 132 adolescents
- Exposure
- Association of BMI-z and FTO rs9939609 polymorphism (A allele) with structural connectivity
- Outcome
- Structural connectivity (graph metrics) at the whole-brain level and of the reward network
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Higher BMI-z associated with higher whole-brain connectivity strength
B 0.76 (95% CI [0.30, 1.21])
P = 0.0015
Higher BMI-z associated with lower reward-network connectivity strength
B −0.003 (95% CI [−0.006, −0.00005])
P = 0.048
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
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