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The effect of weight loss following 18 months of lifestyle intervention on brain age assessed with resting-state functional connectivity.
Levakov, G, Kaplan, A, Yaskolka Meir, A, Rinott, E, Tsaban, G, Zelicha, H, Blüher, M, Ceglarek, U, Stumvoll, M, Shelef, I, et al
eLife. 2023;12
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Obesity is linked to premature brain ageing and subsequent development of diseases such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Weight loss through lifestyle modifications may be able to attenuate brain ageing. This sub-study of 102 individuals from a randomised control trial known as the Dietary Intervention Randomised Controlled Trial Polyphenols Unprocessed Study (DIRECT-PLUS), aimed to determine the effect of 18 months lifestyle modifications and weight loss on brain age. The results showed that a decrease in BMI attenuated brain ageing and that 1% body weight loss reduced brain ageing by 8.9 months. Reduced brain age was also associated with decreased waist circumference and fat mass. Interestingly, reduced consumption of processed foods was also associated with reduced brain age. It was concluded that weight loss can be of benefit to brain health. This study could be used by healthcare professionals to understand that people with obesity are at a higher risk of brain related diseases, and that weight loss may be an effective way to prevent their development.
Abstract
BACKGROUND Obesity negatively impacts multiple bodily systems, including the central nervous system. Retrospective studies that estimated chronological age from neuroimaging have found accelerated brain aging in obesity, but it is unclear how this estimation would be affected by weight loss following a lifestyle intervention. METHODS In a sub-study of 102 participants of the Dietary Intervention Randomized Controlled Trial Polyphenols Unprocessed Study (DIRECT-PLUS) trial, we tested the effect of weight loss following 18 months of lifestyle intervention on predicted brain age based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-assessed resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC). We further examined how dynamics in multiple health factors, including anthropometric measurements, blood biomarkers, and fat deposition, can account for changes in brain age. RESULTS To establish our method, we first demonstrated that our model could successfully predict chronological age from RSFC in three cohorts (n=291;358;102). We then found that among the DIRECT-PLUS participants, 1% of body weight loss resulted in an 8.9 months' attenuation of brain age. Attenuation of brain age was significantly associated with improved liver biomarkers, decreased liver fat, and visceral and deep subcutaneous adipose tissues after 18 months of intervention. Finally, we showed that lower consumption of processed food, sweets and beverages were associated with attenuated brain age. CONCLUSIONS Successful weight loss following lifestyle intervention might have a beneficial effect on the trajectory of brain aging. FUNDING The German Research Foundation (DFG), German Research Foundation - project number 209933838 - SFB 1052; B11, Israel Ministry of Health grant 87472511 (to I Shai); Israel Ministry of Science and Technology grant 3-13604 (to I Shai); and the California Walnuts Commission 09933838 SFB 105 (to I Shai). Obesity is linked with the brain aging faster than would normally be expected. Researchers are able to capture this process by calculating a person’s ‘brain age’ – how old their brain appears on detailed scans, regardless of chronological age. This approach also helps to monitor how certain factors, such as lifestyle, can influence brain aging over relatively short time scales. It is not clear whether lifestyle interventions that promote weight loss can help to slow obesity-driven brain aging. To answer this question, Levakov et al. studied 102 individuals who met the criteria for obesity and took part in a lifestyle intervention aimed to improve diet and physical activity levels over 18 months. The participants received a brain scan at the beginning and the end of the program; additional tests and measurements were also conducted at these times to capture other biological processes impacted by obesity, such as liver health. Levakov et al. used the brain scans taken at the start and end of the study to examine the impact of the lifestyle intervention on the aging trajectory. The results revealed that a reduction in body weight of 1% led to the participants’ brain age being nearly 9 months younger than the expected brain age after 18 months. This attenuated aging was associated with changes in other biological measures, such as decreased liver fat and liver enzymes. Increases in liver fat and production of specific liver enzymes were previously shown to negatively impact brain health in Alzheimer’s disease. Finally, examining more closely the food consumption reports completed by participants showed that reduced consumption of processed food, sweets and beverages were linked to attenuated brain aging. The findings show that lifestyle interventions which promote weight loss can have a beneficial impact on the aging trajectory of the brain observed with obesity. The next steps will include determining whether slowing down obesity-driven brain aging results in better clinical outcomes for patients. In addition, the work by Levakov et al. demonstrates a potential strategy to evaluate the success of lifestyle changes on brain health. With global rates of obesity rising, identifying interventions that have a positive impact on brain health could have important clinical, educational and social impacts.
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An exercise-based educational and motivational intervention after surgery can improve behaviors, physical fitness and quality of life in bariatric patients.
Gallé, F, Marte, G, Cirella, A, Di Dio, M, Miele, A, Ricchiuti, R, Liguori, F, Maida, P, Liguori, G
PloS one. 2020;15(10):e0241336
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Bariatric surgery is currently the most effective method of weight loss for individuals with obesity. However sustained weight loss after surgery can be hindered by unhealthy behaviours that have sustained since before the procedure. Motivational, educational, diet and exercise programmes have been shown to help sustain weight loss following surgery. This non-randomised control trial over 12 months, aimed to assess the effects of a motivational, educational diet and exercise programme on fitness and quality of life in 82 individuals following bariatric surgery. The results showed that a diet and exercise programme improved quality of life and fitness. There was an increased daily intake of fruits and vegetables, eating behaviours were improved and there was a greater weight loss in those following the programme. It was concluded that the diet and exercise programme was responsible for behavioural changes that ensured better quality of life and sustained weight loss following surgery. Health care professionals could use this study to understand the need to recommend motivational and educationally based diet and exercise programme to patients following bariatric surgery.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Unhealthy lifestyles may hinder bariatric surgery outcomes. This non-randomized controlled study aimed to evaluate the effects of an integrated post-operative exercise-based educational and motivational program in improving behaviors, quality of life, anthropometric features, cardiorespiratory and physical fitness in bariatric patients respect to the only surgical intervention. METHODS A group of adult sedentary bariatric patients chose to attend a 12-month exercise program integrated with diet education and motivational support, or to receive usual care. Dietary habits, binge eating disorder, physical activity, obesity-related quality of life, Body Mass Index, waist and hip circumference, VO2max, strength and flexibility were assessed at the start and at the end of the study in both groups. RESULTS On a total of 82 patients enrolled, follow-up measures were obtained from 28 (85.7% females, mean age 38.2±8.7) and 42 (71.4% females, mean age 40.2±9.5) patients included in the intervention and control group, respectively. All the behavioral and physical outcomes improved significantly in the participants to the intervention, while the control group showed lesser changes, especially regarding quality of life and physical fitness. CONCLUSIONS Notwithstanding the self-selection, these results suggest that a timely postoperative behavioral multidisciplinary program for bariatric patients may be effective in establishing healthy behaviors which can lead to better surgery outcomes.
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Brown Adipose Crosstalk in Tissue Plasticity and Human Metabolism.
Scheele, C, Wolfrum, C
Endocrine reviews. 2020;41(1)
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Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is an important contributor to the regulation of metabolism via cellular communication with organs such as liver, muscle, gut and central nervous system. BAT is important for heat generation and is at high levels in human infants. Levels of activation of BAT decline as we age and it has been shown that the amount of BAT is smaller and its activity reduced in those with obesity and type 2 diabetes. To date, there is no answer to efficiently restore functional BAT in aging and obese subjects. This review looks at experiments done on the factors secreted from active BAT (batokines). The review aims to provide a structure for the processes and cell types involved in BAT and the recent findings of BAT whole-body communication are discussed. Altogether, these findings demonstrate that BAT has an adaptive capacity. Studying batokines, offers an alternative approach to identify novel drug targets for metabolic regulation.
Abstract
Infants rely on brown adipose tissue (BAT) as a primary source of thermogenesis. In some adult humans, residuals of brown adipose tissue are adjacent to the central nervous system and acute activation increases metabolic rate. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) recruitment occurs during cold acclimation and includes secretion of factors, known as batokines, which target several different cell types within BAT, and promote adipogenesis, angiogenesis, immune cell interactions, and neurite outgrowth. All these processes seem to act in concert to promote an adapted BAT. Recent studies have also provided exciting data on whole body metabolic regulation with a broad spectrum of mechanisms involving BAT crosstalk with liver, skeletal muscle, and gut as well as the central nervous system. These widespread interactions might reflect the property of BAT of switching between an active thermogenic state where energy is highly consumed and drained from the circulation, and the passive thermoneutral state, where energy consumption is turned off. (Endocrine Reviews 41: XXX - XXX, 2020).