title: Selective alterations within executive functions in adolescents with excess weight.
abstract: Increasing evidence underscores overlapping neurobiological pathways to addiction and obesity. In both conditions, reward processing of preferred stimuli is enhanced, whereas the executive control system that would normally regulate reward-driven responses is altered. This abnormal interaction can be greater in adolescence, a period characterized by relative immaturity of executive control systems coupled with the relative maturity of reward processing systems. The aim of this study is to explore neuropsychological performance of adolescents with excess weight (n = 27, BMI range 24-51 kg/m(2)) vs. normal-weight adolescents (n = 34, BMI range 17-24 kg/m(2)) on a comprehensive battery of executive functioning tests, including measures of working memory (letter-number sequencing), reasoning (similarities), planning (zoo map), response inhibition (five-digit test (FDT)-interference and Stroop), flexibility (FDT-switching and trail-making test (TMT)), self-regulation (revised-strategy application test (R-SAT)), and decision-making (Iowa gambling task (IGT)). We also aimed to explore personality traits of impulsivity and sensitivity to reward. Independent sample t- and Z Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests showed significant differences between groups on indexes of inhibition, flexibility, and decision-making (excess-weight participants performed poorer than controls), but not on tests of working memory, planning, and reasoning, nor on personality measures. Moreover, regression models showed a significant association between BMI and flexibility performance. These results are indicative of selective alterations of particular components of executive functions in overweight adolescents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain. averdejo@ugr.es
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verdejo-García
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pérez-Expósito
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schmidt-Río-Valle
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fernández-Serrano
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pérez-García
authors.forename: Gemma
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: López-Belmonte
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martín-Matillas
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martín-Lagos
authors.forename: Ascension
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marcos
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campoy
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003657:Decision Making; D056344:Executive Function; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008297:Male; D008606:Mental Processes; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology*; D010551:Personality; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012201:Reward; D012927:Social Control, Informal