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Being overweight destroys the brain
Last reviewed: 02.07.2025
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Obesity is one of the topics that scientists around the world are working hard on. It is not only the reasons for gaining extra pounds and the methods of combating them that are of interest. The attention of specialists is drawn to the processes that occur in the body of people suffering from obesity. Moreover, the further scientists advance in their research, the more they prove the negative impact of excess weight on the human body.
Recently, Dutch specialists were able to discover that obesity even causes problems in the brain: the amount of gray matter decreases, its structure changes. The researchers came to such conclusions while studying information from the results of a tomographic examination of twelve thousand volunteers. The scientists have no doubts about the veracity of the results.
The data on the brain condition of obese patients was taken from the British biomaterial bank. The study examined the characteristics and diagnostic parameters of people belonging to the age category from 45 to 76 years. All the compared information indicated the existence of a clear relationship between excess weight and altered brain structure.
Radiologist Ilona Dekkers says: “We have discovered the following: with a large presence of fat in the body, the volumes of the most important brain structures are noticeably smaller – in particular, this concerns the structure of the gray matter.”
Interestingly, the changes in the brain differ by gender. Thus, in male patients, the total amount of gray matter in the brain decreased. But in women, changes were noted only in the basal nuclei area - the places where gray matter accumulates, responsible for motor regulation.
In general, changes were present not only in the gray matter, but also in the white matter - however, such defects were microscopic and were not examined in detail by scientists, so specialists cannot yet say about the consequences of this phenomenon.
Analyzing the results of the experiment, the researchers cannot yet say for sure whether we are talking about a reverse cause-and-effect relationship. It is possible that it is not the excess fat deposits that negatively affect the brain structure, but rather that disturbances in the brain cause the development of obesity. Now the scientists are initiating new studies, because they need to thoroughly understand this issue and put all the necessary dots.
However, specialists have previously proven that people with normal weight have more active brain function, they concentrate better and remember new information. In addition, they are less likely to suffer from joint diseases and metabolic disorders. Perhaps other, no less interesting facts will be discovered soon.
Information is presented on the page hi-news.ru/research-development/ozhirenie-mozhet-privesti-k-razrusheniyu-golovnogo-mozga.html