Genetic and neural predictors of behavioral weight loss treatment: A preliminary study.
To examine neural mechanisms of action in behavioral weight loss treatment (BWL) and explore neural and genetic predictors of BWL.



Neural activation to milkshake receipt and genetics were compared in 17 women with obesity who received 12 weeks of BWL and 17 women who received no intervention. Participants were scanned twice using functional magnetic resonance imaging at baseline and 12 weeks. Weight was assessed at baseline, 12, 36, and 60 weeks.



BWL participants lost more weight than controls at 12 weeks (-4.82% versus -0.70%). After 12 weeks, BWL had greater reduction in right caudate activation response to milk shake receipt than did controls. Among BWL participants, baseline to 12-week reduction in frontostriatal activation to milk shake predicted greater weight loss at 12, 36, and 60 weeks. Possessing the A/A or T/A genotype of the fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) variant rs9939609 predicted greater weight loss at 12 and 36 weeks.



These preliminary data reveal that reduction in right caudate activation may be a neural mechanism of weight loss in BWL, and baseline FTO variant and reduction in frontostriatal activation during BWL predict short- and long-term weight loss. These findings require replication in larger samples.
Temple Eating Disorders program (TEDp), Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Eunice Y
EY
Chen
Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Thomas M
TM
Olino
Temple University Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.|Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Chris J
CJ
Conklin
Temple University Magnetic Resonance Imaging Center, Department of Radiology, Temple University School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.|Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Feroze B
FB
Mohamed
Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
W Scott
WS
Hoge
Center for Obesity Research and Education, College of Public Health, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.|Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.|Weight Watchers International Inc., New York, New York, USA.
Gary D
GD
Foster
Temple Eating Disorders program (TEDp), Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Jean M
JM
Arlt
Temple Eating Disorders program (TEDp), Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Kalina
K
Eneva
Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Judy R
JR
Kidd
Department of Genetics, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
Kenneth R
KR
Kidd
Department of Psychiatry, Geisinger Obesity Institute, Danville, Pennsylvania, USA.
Michelle R
MR
Lent
Temple Eating Disorders program (TEDp), Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Susan
S
Murray
Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine, Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University and Hospital, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Andrew
A
Newberg
Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Colleen
C
Tewksbury
Center for Weight and Eating Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Stephanie S
SS
VanderVeur
Temple Eating Disorders program (TEDp), Department of Psychology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Angelina
A
Yiu
D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000235:genetics; D055815:Young Adult