title: Association between adiposity and cognitive function in young men: Hormonal mechanisms.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the association between adiposity, hormones, and cognition in young men with abdominal obesity.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional observational study, 53 nondiabetic men with abdominal obesity (mean body mass index, 37.3 kg/m(2) ; age, 22-45 years) and normal intelligence underwent detailed measures of body composition, hormonal profiles, and cognition. Age- and education-adjusted performance in five cognitive domains was examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Total fat percentage was negatively associated with visuospatial skills (P = 0.002) and visual memory (P = 0.012). Insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance) was also negatively associated with these domains (P = 0.05 and trend, P = 0.06, respectively). Total testosterone levels were negatively associated with executive function and verbal learning and memory (P = 0.04 for each), but free testosterone was not. Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) was also inversely associated with performance in these domains (P = 0.015 and trend, P = 0.09, respectively). In a stepwise regression model including percentage fat, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, SHBG, and free testosterone, SHBG was the only variable selected for executive function (P = 0.05) and showed a trend for verbal learning and memory (P = 0.09).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Adiposity and insulin resistance were associated with worse function in visual domains. An unexpected negative association is reported between SHBG and cognitive measures, which seemed to be independent of free testosterone levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.|Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Riley M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Bove
authors.affiliation: Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Anu V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Gerweck
authors.affiliation: Psychology Assessment Center, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Mancuso
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.|Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Miriam A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Bredella
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.|Psychology Assessment Center, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Janet C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Sherman
authors.affiliation: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.|Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
authors.forename: Karen K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D013739:Testosterone / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin; D013739:Testosterone