A pioneer study carried out by researchers from the University of South Australia discovered that individuals who are severely overweight are less likely to be able to create new neural pathways and re-wire their brains. This discovery will have significant implications for people who are recovering from brain injuries or a stroke.
The paper, written by researchers from Deakin University and University of South Australia, was published in “Brain Sciences.” The research showed that in obese people, brain plasticity is impaired. This makes it less likely for them to remember things or learn new tasks.
The study used a series of experiments involving transcranial magnetic stimulation to test a group of 15 obese individuals aged between 18 and 60. The researchers then compared the test results with 15 people who were in a healthy-weight control group.
The researchers administered electrical stimulation pulses repeatedly to the brain and observed how strongly it responded. The researchers recorded significant neural activity in response to the electrical stimulation in the healthy-weight group. This suggests a normal brain plasticity response. In comparison, the researchers recorded a minimal response in the obese group, which suggests that the brain’s capacity to change is impaired.
Dr. Brenton Hordacre, a researcher from the University of South Australia, observed that the findings provided the first physiological evidence of a link between reduced brain plasticity and obesity.
To calculate obesity, health experts use a body mass index. This calculates the ration between an individual’s weight and height to determine body fat. An adult with a BMI between 25 and 29.9 is considered to be overweight. Anything over 29.9 is obese.
Dr. Hordacre stated that obesity is also associated with other adverse health effects including dementia, metabolic disorders and higher risk of cardiovascular disease. He added that for the first time, researchers discovered that obesity was linked to impaired brain function, which only backs the need to address the obesity epidemic.
According to findings from the World Health Organization, about 650 million individuals worldwide are obese. Obesity not only affects an individual’s health but also increases the financial burden on global health systems.
The research findings suggest that losing weight is extremely important for recovery in people who suffer brain injuries or strokes and also good for healthy brain aging.
In Australia, the third most common cause of death is a stroke, which is also the leading cause of disability, often affecting cognition and memory as well as speech. Dr. Hordacre noted that the brain’s ability to discover new pathways is critical for recovery.
Regarding quick recovery, one interesting company to watch is 180 Life Sciences Corp. The company focuses on developing novel therapies to treat fibrosis, pain and inflammatory diseases by using the latest scientific discoveries in the sector.
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