Earlier onset of menstruation is related to increased body mass index in adulthood and altered functional correlations between visual, task control and somatosensory brain networks

Abstract

Onset of puberty has been associated with lower body mass index (BMI) in adulthood independent of childhood BMI. However, how the relationship between time of onset of puberty and BMI in adulthood is associated with neurocognitive outcomes is largely unstudied. Here, women were sampled from the Human Connectome Project 1200 PTN release. Inclusion criteria were: 4 (15 minute) resting state fMRI scans, current measured BMI, self-reported age at onset of menstruation (a proxy of age at onset of puberty), and no endocrine complications (e.g., polycystic ovarian syndrome). The effect of age at onset of menstruation, measured BMI at scan date, and the interaction of age at onset of menstruation by BMI on brain functional correlation was modeled using FSLnets controlling for race and age at scan. Corrected significance was set at pFWE<0.05. A final sample of n=510 (age 29.5y±3.6; BMI at scan 25.9±5.6; age at onset of menstruation 12.7±1.6) were included. Age at onset of menstruation was negatively associated with BMI at scan (r=-0.19, p<0.001). The interaction between age at onset of menstruation and BMI at scan was associated with stronger correlation between a somatosensory and visual network (t= 3.45, pFWE= 0.026), and a visual network and cinguloopercular task control network (t= 4.74, pFWE= 0.0002). We show increased correlation between visual, taste-associated, and self-control brain regions in women at high BMI with later age at onset of menstruation. Together, this implies that the association between later menarche and lower BMI may impart improved self-control during exposure to visual cues.

The Interaction of Glycemia with Anxiety and Depression Is Related to Altered Cerebellar and Cerebral Functional Correlations

“…Similarly, we chose to analyze both depression and anxiety and depression alone to evaluate similarities and differences between the two. We have previously published using similar methods within the HCP data to evaluate differences in connectivity based on HbA1c [21], menstrual onset [22], and BMI [23]. Based on meta-analytical data, we hypothesized that depression and anxiety would interact with HbA1c in the insula [15][16][17].…”

Childhood Obesity, Hypothalamic Inflammation, and the Onset of Puberty: A Narrative Review

“…The overall prevalence of PP is estimated to be 1:5000 to 1:10,000 [ 18 ], with a female-to-male ratio of approximately 10:1, yet the exact pathophysiologic mechanism responsible for PP remains unknown [ 19 ]. Epidemiological data indicate that there is a direct correlation between early pubertal development and obesity [ 20 , 21 ]. Numerous research findings have underscored the association between overweight or obesity and the early onset of breast development and menarche in girls.…”

Commentary: Gut microbiota and its derived SCFAs regulate the HPGA to reverse obesity-induced precocious puberty in female rats

“…Central precocious puberty occurs when the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPGA) activates early, with unknown cause in most girls (1). Notably, children with obesity have more chance of precocious puberty (2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8). Although intestinal microbiota, as a remote regulator, was involved in the onset of precocious puberty in high-fat diet (HFD) conditions (9)(10)(11)(12), and microbiota-derived SCFAs (short-chain fatty acids) have been characterized as multifunctional molecules impacting human physiology (13), detailed mechanisms remain unclear.…”