Introduction and Objective: Emerging evidence demonstrates the presence of neurocognitive impairment and lower brain volume in youth with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and obesity compared to peers. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI) offers non-invasive assessment of brain function and established brain networks. Multimodal imaging integration, such as brain structure and function, may better elucidate the pathophysiology of these early brain findings in youth with T2D and obesity.Methods: 150 adolescents are being recruited for a study on how T2D impacts brain structure, perfusion, and cognition. rsfMRI was also performed. We examined the relationship between brain function (rsfMRI) and brain structure in the first 15 adolescents with T2D (mean age 16.4 years, BMI 39.4 kg/m2, 66.7% female) and 18 age, sex, and BMI similar controls without T2D (mean age 16.1 years, BMI 37.8 kg/m2, 66.7% female). Analysis focused on the correlation between amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (brain function) and grey matter volume (GMV) (structure) in regions of canonical brain networks. Significance at p<0.0005 (allowing for multiple comparisons) corresponded to a correlation coefficient Rho>0.34.Results: In obese youth with and without T2D there was a significant positive correlation between brain function and structure in the following regions: medial prefrontal (default mode network), right sensorimotor (sensorimotor network), right frontal eye field, and left and right intraparietal sulcus (dorsal attention network).Conclusion: Brain function was positively related to GMV in several regions, including those encompassing brain networks (default mode network and dorsal attention network) that are crucial for cognition. These results suggest alterations in brain function and structure in obese youth with and without T2D may be coupled. Further studies are needed to determine if there is a causal link between brain structure and function in this population.
R. Brady: None. A.S. Shah: None. M.W. DiFrancesco: None.
American Diabetes Association (7-24-JDFT2DY-04); National Institutes of Health (R01 NS125316)
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