title: Obesity, metabolic profile, and inhibition failure: Young women under scrutiny.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The prevalence of obesity, as well as evidence about this pathology as a risk factor for cognitive decline and dementia in the elderly, is increasing worldwide. Executive functions have been found to be compromised in most studies, although the specific results are dissimilar. Obese young women constitute an interesting study and intervention group, having been found to be unaffected by age and hormonal negative effects on cognition and considering that their health problems affect not only themselves but their families and offspring. The objective of the present study was to compare the executive performance of obese young women with that of a healthy control group.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was done among premenopausal women from a public hospital in Buenos Aires. The sample comprised 113 participants (32 healthy controls and 81 obese women), who were evaluated for depressive and anxiety symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory-II and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and executive functioning (Trail-Making Test B, Stroop Color and Word Test, Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, and verbal fluency test). Statistical analysis was done by using the SPSS version 20.0 software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among executive functions, a significant difference was found between groups in inhibition (p<0.01). No correlation was found between psychopathologic measures and Stroop Test Interference results. We found slight correlations between Stroop Test Interference results, waist circumference, fat mass and HDL-cholesterol. In obese group, there was a negative slightly correlation between this cognitive test and 2h post-load glucose level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Inhibition was decreased in our obese young women group, and glucose/lipid metabolism may be involved in this association. The cognitive impairment is comparable with that described in addictive conditions. Our conclusions support the concept of multidisciplinary management of obese patients from the time of diagnosis. Detecting and understanding cognitive dysfunction in this population is essential to providing appropriate treatment.
authors.affiliation: Health Research Residency, Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Nueva York 3952, C1419HDN Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Assistance and Research Center in Cognitive Neuroscience and Memory Disorders, Hospital Dr. A. Zubizarreta, Nueva York 3952, C1419HDN Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina. Electronic address: nataliacatoira@gmail.com.
authors.forename: N P
authors.initials: NP
authors.lastname: Catoira
authors.affiliation: Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tapajóz
authors.affiliation: Assistance and Research Center in Cognitive Neuroscience and Memory Disorders, Hospital Dr. A. Zubizarreta, Nueva York 3952, C1419HDN Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Allegri
authors.affiliation: Clinical Laboratory, Hospital Dr. A. Zubizarreta, Nueva York 3952, C1419HDN Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lajfer
authors.affiliation: Health Research Residency, Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Nueva York 3952, C1419HDN Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Rodríguez Cámara
authors.affiliation: Assistance and Research Center in Cognitive Neuroscience and Memory Disorders, Hospital Dr. A. Zubizarreta, Nueva York 3952, C1419HDN Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Iturry
authors.affiliation: Health Research Residency, Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Nueva York 3952, C1419HDN Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Medicine Department, Hospital Dr. A. Zubizarreta, Nueva York 3952, C1419HDN, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: G O
authors.initials: GO
authors.lastname: Castaño
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000378:metabolism; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005223:Fats / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D005223:Fats; D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Executive functions; Inhibition; Metabolic dysfunction; Obesity; Stroop Test; Young women