title: Blunted brain energy consumption relates to insula atrophy and impaired glucose tolerance in obesity.
abstract: Brain energy consumption induced by electrical stimulation increases systemic glucose tolerance in normal-weight men. In obesity, fundamental reductions in brain energy levels, gray matter density, and cortical metabolism, as well as chronically impaired glucose tolerance, suggest that disturbed neuroenergetic regulation may be involved in the development of overweight and obesity. Here, we induced neuronal excitation by anodal transcranial direct current stimulation versus sham, examined cerebral energy consumption with (31)P magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and determined systemic glucose uptake by euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic glucose clamp in 15 normal-weight and 15 obese participants. We demonstrate blunted brain energy consumption and impaired systemic glucose uptake in obese compared with normal-weight volunteers, indicating neuroenergetic dysregulation in obese humans. Broadening our understanding of reduced multifocal gray matter volumes in obesity, our findings show that reduced appetite- and taste-processing area morphometry is associated with decreased brain energy levels. Specifically, gray matter volumes of the insula relate to brain energy content in obese participants. Overall, our results imply that a diminished cerebral energy supply may underlie the decline in brain areas assigned to food intake regulation and therefore the development of obesity.
authors.affiliation: Section of Psychoneurobiology, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany kamila.jauchchara@uksh.de.
authors.forename: Kamila
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jauch-Chara
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University, Aachen, Germany Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-4), Research Center Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany Division of Cognitive Neurology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ferdinand
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Binkofski
authors.affiliation: Section of Psychoneurobiology, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loebig
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University, Aachen, Germany Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-4), Research Center Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany Jülich Aachen Research Alliance (JARA)-Translational Brain Medicine, Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Kathrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Reetz
authors.affiliation: Section of Psychoneurobiology, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Gianna
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jahn
authors.affiliation: Section of Psychoneurobiology, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Uwe H
authors.initials: UH
authors.lastname: Melchert
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Schweiger
authors.affiliation: Section of Psychoneurobiology, University of Luebeck, Luebeck, Germany.
authors.forename: Kerstin M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Oltmanns
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D054022:Cerebrum / Q000378:metabolism; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin