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Obesity-related brain iron overload may be linked to cognitive dysfunction in middle-age
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Recent study data published in Diabetes Care suggest that brain iron overload associated with obesity and insulin resistance could lead to poorer cognitive performance in middle-aged adults.
Researchers evaluated 23 middle-aged, obese adults (mean age 50.4 years) without type 2 diabetes and 20 health nonobese age- and gender-matched controls to determine factors associated with hepatic iron concentration and brain iron overload as well as their effects on cognitive performance.
Researchers evaluated anthropometric measurements as well as 8-hour fasting blood tests for plasma lipids, glucose and insulin. Brain iron overload was measured using MRI. Participants were tested on a variety of cognitive skills, including intelligence, memory, processing speed, attention, and risk-taking behaviors. Correlations between cognitive performance and brain iron overload were calculated using multivariate regression analysis.
The researchers found that in obese participants, significant elevations in iron load existed in the following locations: the caudate nucleus (P<.001) lenticular nucleus (P=.004) the hypothalamus (P=.002), the hippocampus (P<.001) and the liver (P<.001). A positive association was found between hepatic iron concentration and brain iron overload at the caudate (P<.001), hypothalamus (P=.009) and hippocampus (P<.023).
An independent association was also observed between area under the curve of insulin and the following: brain iron overload at the caudate (P=.001), brain iron overload at the hippocampus (P=.028) and hepatic iron concentration (P=.025).
Worse performance on the cognitive tests was also independently correlated with brain iron overloads at the caudate (P=.0028), hypothalamus (P=.006) and lenticular nucleus (P=.012).
In summary, our preliminary data show an obesity-related increase of tissue iron stores in a context of [insulin resistance],” the researchers wrote. “Importantly, obesity-associated [brain iron overload] at the hypothalamus, hippocampus, lenticular and caudate nuclei correlates with worse cognitive performance in middle-age subjects. This study highlights the potential utility of MRI as a surrogate marker of iron metabolism, a novel player in obesity-associated cognitive dysfunction.”
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant disclosures.
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