The Association between Obesity and Cognitive Function in Otherwise Healthy Premenopausal Arab Women

Abstract

Objective To examine the association between obesity and cognitive function in healthy premenopausal women. Methods From a cohort of 220 women, 98 were randomly selected that provided complete data. Body composition was examined by dual-energy X-ray scan. All participants completed the Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) to assess cognitive performance in three domains: attention, memory, and planning executive function. The Reaction Time (RTI) test was used to assess motor and mental response speeds; the Stockings of Cambridge (SOC) test was used to assess planning executive function. For memory assessment, the Delayed Match to Sample (DMS), Pattern Recognition Memory (PRM), and Spatial Span (SSP) tests were used to assess forced choice recognition memory, visual pattern recognition memory, and working memory capacity, respectively. Results 36 (36.7%) were morbidly obese, 22 (22.4%) obese, and 23 (23.5%) overweight. Performance on RTI and SOC planning ability were not associated with body mass index (BMI). DMS mean time to correct response, when stimulus is visible or immediately hidden (0 ms delay), was higher by 785 ± 302 ms (milliseconds) (p=0.011) and 587 ± 259 ms (p=0.026) in morbidly obese women compared to normal weight women. Memory span length was significantly lower in overweight (5.5 ± 1.3, p=0.008) and obese women (5.6 ± 1.6, p=0.007) compared to normal weight (6.7 ± 0.9). DEXA-assessed body fat (%) showed similar associations as BMI, and latency to correct response on DMS and PRM was positively correlated with percentage of body fat, but not with VO2 max. Conclusion In otherwise healthy premenopausal women, obesity did not impact accuracy on cognitive tasks related to attention, memory, or planning executive function, but morbid obesity was associated with higher latency to correct response on memory-specific tasks and lower memory span length.

Cognitive Inhibition and Working Memory in Obese and Normal Women

“…This means that obese women have a lower average of active memory than normal ones. This finding is in line with that of the research by Heyward et al [42] and Farooq et al [43]. Riggs et al [44] show that the working memory of obese children is significantly weaker than that of healthy children.…”

Food addiction and impaired executive functions in women with obesity

“…Some researchers have proposed that OB and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might share a common neurocognitive phenotype, characterized by deficits in hot executive functions, associated with impaired inhibitory control and impulsivity have (Lavagnino, Arnone, Cao, Soares, & Selvaraj, ; Preuss, Pinnow, Schnicker, & Legenbauer, ). Previous studies have observed that people with OB performed significantly worse on tasks assessing domains such as interference control, memory span length, and reward sensitivity in comparison with healthy weight controls (Aiello et al, ; Fagundo et al, ; Farooq, Gibson, Reilly, & Gaoua, ; Song et al, ). Specifically, interference control tasks assess the capacity of suppressing inappropriate actions that could interfere with achieving a long‐term goal, and evidence suggests that some individuals with OB display difficulty inhibiting automatic or model‐free behaviour (MacLeod, ; Preuss et al, ).…”

Impulse Control in Negative Mood States, Emotional Eating, and Food Addiction are Associated with Lower Quality of Life in Adolescents with Severe Obesity

“…Some researchers have proposed that OB and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might share a common neurocognitive phenotype, characterized by deficits in hot executive functions, associated with impaired inhibitory control and impulsivity have (Lavagnino, Arnone, Cao, Soares, & Selvaraj, 2016;Preuss, Pinnow, Schnicker, & Legenbauer, 2017). Previous studies have observed that people with OB performed significantly worse on tasks assessing domains such as interference control, memory span length, and reward sensitivity in comparison with healthy weight controls (Aiello et al, 2018;Fagundo et al, 2012;Farooq, Gibson, Reilly, & Gaoua, 2018;Song et al, 2016). Specifically, interference control tasks assess the capacity of suppressing inappropriate actions that could interfere with achieving a long-term goal, and evidence suggests that some individuals with OB display difficulty inhibiting automatic or model-free behaviour (MacLeod, 1991;Preuss et al, 2017).…”