They study the relationship between obesity and cognitive deterioration

• They develop a project that assesses cognitive abilities in a population under 55 years old with obesity
• It is important to understand this relationship for the realization of a timely diagnosis in the early stages of life

Cognitive deterioration caused by the development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and other types of dementia, is linked to the presence of metabolic syndrome, diabetes and obesity, according to one study of Dr. Emma Adriana Chávez Manzanera.

The endocrinologist, attached to the clinic of obesity and eating disorders of the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism of the National Institute of Medical Sciences and Nutrition Salvador Zubirán ( INCMNSZ), is leading this project that evaluates the cognitive abilities of people under 55 years of age. of age with obesity and that raises neurocognitive assessment before and after the start of a comprehensive weight loss treatment.

In an interview with Agencia Informativa Conacyt, the specialist emphasized the importance of understanding this relationship in order to be able to make a timely diagnosis at the very beginning of life and to avoid an increase in the incidence of diagnoses in these neurodegenerative diseases.

Proven epidemiology

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia that affects more than fifty million people worldwide and Mexico is one of the world's leading countries. 39 Latin America where the prevalence of this disease is highest. which is strongly associated with the presence of metabolic syndrome, diabetes and obesity.

Thus, the researcher mentioned that it was worrisome to evaluate cognition in Mexican subjects under 55 years of age with obesity compared to a thin control group because there was had no clinical or epidemiological study in the Mexican population.

In this sense, this study is the first of its kind in Mexico that seeks to confirm to a national population what global research has already been done and that emphasizes that overweight or obesity in the early stages of life, such as childhood, adolescence and young adulthood, predispose three to six times higher risk of dementia and Alzheimer's disease among the elderly.

"The literature mentions that obesity at middle age is associated with neurological damage related to Alzheimer's disease and gives information about the importance of maintaining a healthy weight from the first few years. stages of life, thus contributing to a protective effect, "said Emma Chavez.

In addition to being overweight, other factors are also associated and increase the risk of dementia, such as diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, and systemic hypertension, which the researcher reports cause chronic low-grade inflammation. and bodily injury. the micro and macro-structure of the brain progressively damage the neurons.

Similarly, and in experimental studies, leptin and insulin (hormones released from adipose tissue and pancreas, respectively) have a direct effect on the brain that enhances synaptogenesis, neurogenesis, as well as growth and proliferation neuronal, but in the presence of obesity, there is a certain degree of resistance to leptin and insulin in the central nervous system, resulting in a reduction of the neuroprotective effect. "The whole understanding of this mechanism has unfortunately been made only in adults over 60 years old where signs of dementia may already be present, and what we want to assess are obese patients at the beginning of life , in order to apply preventive medicine.

Cognitive impairment due to excess adiposity

Given this panorama, the primary cognitive domain assessed in the project is executive functioning, such as decision-making, planning, problem solving, working memory, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and feedback.

The intention is to observe the relationship between body weight and cognitive functioning and to record the patient's response to a multidisciplinary weight loss program that, in addition to focusing on the patient's health. diet, physical activity and treatment of medical comorbidities, also assesses behavioral changes. and psychological.

Comprehensive care programs

To carry out this project, Emma Chávez Manzanera and her research group devoted themselves to the evaluation of two hundred and two subjects, half of whom are meager and the other half are obese, where a basic comparison is made between them before and after. after the start of the weight loss program at six and twelve months of follow-up.

The investigation is still in progress. However, a complete method of weight loss should help improve the system of preventive treatment of diseases. "Obesity programs should be the subject of a cognitive assessment, as they would identify people at risk for mild cognitive impairment, so we would have more timely neurocognitive rehabilitation." and a faster impact on improving health, not only on optimizing body weight and medical co-morbidities, but also on improving the quality of life. "

With information from Genesis Gatica Porcayo and Conacyt