Study Reveals Link Between Obesity and Brain Plasticity Decline

How to recognize the problem

Neuroplasticity – the brain’s ability to change over time – is important for good brain function. Only if it is conserved​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Australian scientists studied the formation of neural connections in people of different weights. The results of their scientific work were published in mdpi.com.

For the experiment, the researchers invited 14 obese volunteers and 16 normal weight volunteers. The scientists used transcranial magnetic stimulation to observe activity in the motor cortex of the brain.

It turned out that participants with a normal body weight had a sharp burst of neural activity after stimulation – this is evidence of good brain plasticity.

In obese people, the response to stimulation was very weak, but then it did not fade for a long time. That is, the plasticity of the brain was damaged.

The brain’s ability to create new neural connections is extremely important; it ensures strong memory and continuous cognitive abilities. It can be eliminated not only by injuries and strokes, but also by extreme obesity.

This informational article does not constitute medical advice.

We wrote before: Numbness and tingling in fingers and hands, they talk about problems in completely different parts of the body – both in the spine and in the thyroid gland, depending on how and where it hits.