Associations of radiologic characteristics of the neonatal hypothalamus with early life adiposity gain

Summary Background The mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) is a key brain area for regulation of energy balance. Previous neuroimaging studies suggest that T2‐based signal properties indicative of cellular inflammatory response (gliosis) are present in adults and children with obesity, and predicts greate...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pediatric obesity 2024-06, Vol.19 (6), p.e13114-n/a
Main Authors: Sewaybricker, Leticia E., Melhorn, Susan J., Entringer, Sonja, Buss, Claudia, Wadhwa, Pathik D., Schur, Ellen A., Rasmussen, Jerod M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Body fat
Child development
Childrens health
gliosis
Health risks
hypothalamus
infant
magnetic resonance imaging
Neonatal care
Neuroimaging
newborn
Newborn babies
Obesity
paediatric obesity
Radiology
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Summary:Summary Background The mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) is a key brain area for regulation of energy balance. Previous neuroimaging studies suggest that T2‐based signal properties indicative of cellular inflammatory response (gliosis) are present in adults and children with obesity, and predicts greater adiposity gain in children at risk of obesity. Objectives/Methods The current study aimed to extend this concept to the early life period by considering if, in full‐term healthy neonates (up to n = 35), MRI evidence of MBH gliosis is associated with changes in early life (neonatal to six months) body fat percentage measured by DXA. Results In this initial study, neonatal T2 signal in the MBH was positively associated with six‐month changes in body fat percentage. Conclusion This finding supports the notion that underlying processes in the MBH may play a role in early life growth and, by extension, childhood obesity risk.
ISSN:2047-6302
2047-6310
DOI:10.1111/ijpo.13114