Longitudinal weight problems trajectory evaluation. Credit score: Nature Psychological Well being (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s44220-025-00396-5
With the worldwide prevalence of weight problems on the rise, it’s essential to discover the neural mechanisms linked to weight problems and its affect on mind and cognitive well being. Nevertheless, the impression of weight problems on the mind is advanced and multilevel.
To deal with this, Prof. Anqi Qiu, Professor of the Division of Well being Know-how and Informatics on the Hong Kong Polytechnic College (PolyU) and International STEM Scholar, has unveiled novel analysis to advance our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying the connection between weight problems and its implications for cognitive well being in adults. The work is revealed within the journal Nature Psychological Well being.
Weight problems is implicated in mind and cognitive well being, however the long-term impression of weight problems trajectories on mind and cognitive getting older stays insufficiently understood. Most present analysis primarily depends on cross-sectional samples, making it troublesome to tell apart between power and short-term weight problems. It’s also unclear whether or not various ranges of weight problems over time have an effect on mind anatomy and performance in another way. Importantly, Prof. Qiu’s analysis addresses these gaps by conducting a complete longitudinal evaluation of weight problems trajectories and their impacts on mind and cognitive well being in adults.
Drawing on multifaceted weight problems measurements from the UK Biobank, the examine identifies 5 distinct weight problems trajectories: low-stable, moderate-stable, high-stable, rising and reducing. Considerably, the examine examines how these weight problems patterns affect mind morphology, operate and cognition in middle-aged and older adults, providing deeper insights into their long-term neurological results.
Notably, people within the reducing trajectory confirmed minimal opposed results on mind construction and cognitive efficiency in comparison with these within the low-stable group. In distinction, the rising, moderate-stable, and high-stable trajectories have been related to progressively better impairment in mind construction, practical connectivity, and cognitive skills. Particularly, these opposed results started within the fronto-mesolimbic areas for the rising trajectory, prolonged to parietal and temporal areas within the moderate-stable group, and finally led to widespread mind abnormalities within the high-stable group.
The analysis highlights the dynamic relationship between weight problems development and brain-cognitive well being, underscoring the medical significance of long-term monitoring and administration of weight problems via a multifaceted strategy. It reveals a definite, progressive sample of mind deterioration linked to weight problems, suggesting that sustained weight problems could speed up mind getting older. These findings point out that persistent weight problems may function a possible biomarker for assessing mind getting older. Due to this fact, decreasing each the severity and period of weight problems publicity could also be essential for preserving mind well being.
Prof. Qiu mentioned, “As the aging population grows, there has been a notable rise in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and others, that currently lack a cure. This research proposes that maintaining long-term weight control can contribute to improved brain health.”
Trying forward, the analysis staff plans to combine multi-omics approaches to discover the organic pathways that affect each mind and physique well being.
The examine extracted weight problems measures, mind pictures and cognition from the UK Biobank database, which comprised over 500,000 individuals aged 40 years and above with numerous ethnic backgrounds.
Extra info:
Die Zhang et al, Lengthy-term weight problems impacts mind morphology, practical connectivity and cognition in adults, Nature Psychological Well being (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s44220-025-00396-5
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