Obesity and Brain Function
Research scientists have long suspected that a relationship existed between
obesity and a decline in brain power. New studies now confirm the contention
that being overweight is detrimental to the brain. Researchers at the University of California
in an article published in the Archives of Neurology demonstrated a strong
correlation between central obesity (that is, being fat around the middle) and
shrinkage of a part of the brain ( the hippocampus) fundamental for memory (as
measured on MRI scans).
(abstract available online at: http://archneur.ama-assn.org).
In fact, other researchers have shown that excess body fat is strongly related to the
actual brain changes associated with Alzheimer’s disease. (http://www.neurology.org).
Why this relationship? Several reasons, First, excess body fat increases
the production of the chemical mediators of inflammation and damaging free
radicals, both fundamental to Alzheimer’s (and Parkinson’s I might add) Second,
body fat stores environmental toxins. Third, obesity is associated with
increased risk of other problems bad for the brain like hypertension anddiabetes.
So slim down and save your brain. Remember (and hopefully you can),
Alzheimer’s is preventable.
Comments
January 25th, 2007 at 12:09 pm
So someone who is over weight should watch their diet, excercise, etc to keep the tummy weight off — but can having lipo or taking weight loss medication have the same results? Is the goal to get the weight off any way they can?
January 25th, 2007 at 12:27 pm
Great question. Fat produces inflammatory mediating chemicals called cytokines. I would suspect that having fat removed, even by liposuction, may reduce these damaging chemicals. I do not have any data to support this contention however.
July 8th, 2009 at 4:23 am
Very useful information . Thanks for sharing. Many people have similar situations in their lives.
July 11th, 2010 at 10:01 am
[...] Obesity, on top of being unhealthy for the body, directly affects brain functions. Some researchers have even questionned the role of obesity in brain degeneration. Research scientists have long suspected that a relationship existed between obesity and a decline in brain power. New studies now confirm the contention that being overweight is detrimental to the brain. Researchers at the University of California in an article published in the Archives of Neurology demonstrated a strong correlation between central obesity (that is, being fat around the middle) and shrinkage of a part of the brain ( the hippocampus) fundamental for memory (as measured on MRI scans). – Source [...]
July 11th, 2010 at 7:09 pm
[...] Obesity, on top of being unhealthy for the body, directly affects brain functions. Some researchers have even questionned the role of obesity in brain degeneration. Research scientists have long suspected that a relationship existed between obesity and a decline in brain power. New studies now confirm the contention that being overweight is detrimental to the brain. Researchers at the University of California in an article published in the Archives of Neurology demonstrated a strong correlation between central obesity (that is, being fat around the middle) and shrinkage of a part of the brain ( the hippocampus) fundamental for memory (as measured on MRI scans). – Source [...]
July 12th, 2010 at 6:39 am
[...] I ricercatori hanno a lungo sospettato che esistesse una relazione tra l’obesità e il calo delle capacità cerebrali. Nuovi studi confermano ora la tesi per cui l’essere sovrappeso è dannoso per il cervello. I ricercatori dell’Università della California in un articolo pubblicato nell’ “Archives of Neurology” hanno dimostrato una forte correlazione fra l’obesità e il restringimento di una parte del cervello (l’ippocampo), fondamentale per la memoria (come misurato nelle scansioni MRI). – Fonte [...]
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