title: Resting state cortical electroencephalographic rhythms in subjects with normal and abnormal body weight.
abstract: It is well known that resting state regional cerebral blood flow is abnormal in obese when compared to normal-weight subjects but the underlying neurophysiological mechanisms are poorly known. To address this issue, we tested the hypothesis that amplitude of resting state cortical electroencephalographic (EEG) rhythms differ among underweight, normal-weight, and overweight/obese subjects as a reflection of the relationship between cortical neural synchronization and regulation of body weight. Eyes-closed resting state EEG data were recorded in 16 underweight subjects, 25 normal-weight subjects, and 18 overweight/obese subjects. All subjects were psychophysically healthy (no eating disorders or major psychopathologies). EEG rhythms of interest were delta (2-4Hz), theta (4-8Hz), alpha 1 (8-10.5Hz), alpha 2 (10.5-13Hz), beta 1 (13-20Hz), beta 2 (20-30Hz), and gamma (30-40Hz). EEG cortical sources were estimated by low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA). Statistical results showed that parietal and temporal alpha 1 sources fitted the pattern underweight>normal-weight>overweight/obese (p<0.004), whereas occipital alpha 1 sources fitted the pattern normal-weight>underweight>overweight/obese (p<0.00003). Furthermore, amplitude of the parietal, occipital, and temporal alpha 2 sources was stronger in the normal-weight subjects than in the underweight and overweight/obese subjects (p<0.0007). These results suggest that abnormal weight in healthy overweight/obese subjects is related to abnormal cortical neural synchronization at the basis of resting state alpha rhythms and fluctuation of global brain arousal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Bioagromed, University of Foggia, Foggia, Italy. c.babiloni@unifg.it
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Babiloni
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Marzano
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lizio
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valenzano
authors.forename: Antonio Ivano
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Triggiani
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Petito
authors.forename: Antonello
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bellomo
authors.forename: Brunello
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lecce
authors.forename: Ciro
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mundi
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soricelli
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Limatola
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cibelli
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Del Percio
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000513:Alpha Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000886:Anthropometry; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology*; D003344:Cortical Synchronization; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012016:Reference Values; D055815:Young Adult