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01-01-2015 | Original Article

Gray and white matter structures in the midcingulate cortex region contribute to body mass index in Chinese young adults

Authors: Qinghua He, Chuansheng Chen, Qi Dong, Gui Xue, Chunhui Chen, Zhong-Lin Lu, Antoine Bechara

Published in: Brain Structure and Function | Issue 1/2015

Abstract

Overweight and obesity are rapidly becoming a central public health challenge around the world. Previous studies have suggested that elevated Body Mass Index (BMI) might be associated with structural changes in both gray and white matter, but this association is still not well understood. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between BMI and brain structure with a relatively large sample of young adults (N = 336) in a small age range (20 ± 1 years). Voxel-based morphometry results showed significant negative correlations between BMI and gray-matter volumes in the midcingulate cortex (MCC), left orbital frontal cortex, and left ventromedial prefrontal cortex. There was also a significant negative correlation between BMI and white matter integrity as indexed by fractional anisotropy in bilateral cingulum. Further tractography analysis showed a significant negative correlation between BMI and the number of fibers passing the MCC region. Regression analysis showed that gray matter and white matter in these regions both contributed to the variance of BMI. These results remained significant even when analysis was restricted to the subjects with normal weights. Finally, we found that decision-making ability (as assessed by the Iowa Gambling Task) mediated the association between the structure of the MCC (a region responsible for impulse control and decision making) and BMI. These results shed light on the structural neural basis of weight variations.

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Title: Gray and white matter structures in the midcingulate cortex region contribute to body mass index in Chinese young adults
Authors: Qinghua He
Chuansheng Chen
Qi Dong
Gui Xue
Chunhui Chen
Zhong-Lin Lu
Antoine Bechara
Publication date: 01-01-2015
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: Brain Structure and Function / Issue 1/2015
Print ISSN: 1863-2653
Electronic ISSN: 1863-2661
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00429-013-0657-9

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Gray and white matter structures in the midcingulate cortex region contribute to body mass index in Chinese young adults

Abstract

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

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