Summary: New research using 18F-flubatin PET/MRI molecular imaging shows a different response to food cues in the brains of obese individuals compared to those of normal weight individuals.
The study sheds light on the biological mechanisms of obesity and opens the door to potential targeted treatments. The findings revealed a higher total volume of distribution of 18F-flubatin in the brains of obese participants when they viewed pictures of food, suggesting that neuroreceptors in the brain may be key targets for treating obesity.
This work holds promise for the identification of biomarkers to facilitate personalized medicine approaches.
Key facts:
- 18F-flubatine PET/MRI reveals a different response to food cues in the brains of obese subjects compared to those of normal weight subjects.
- This study demonstrated a higher total volume of distribution of 18F-flubatin in the brains of obese participants when viewing pictures of food.
- The findings may lead to the development of new drug treatments and behavioral interventions for obesity and help identify biomarkers for patient stratification.
source: SNMMI
Molecular imaging with 18F-flubatine PET/MRI has shown that neuroreceptors in the brains of obese individuals respond differently to food cues than those in normal-weight individuals, making the neuroreceptors a prime target for obesity treatment and therapy.
This research, presented at the 2023 Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Annual Meeting, contributes to the understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying obesity and offers valuable insight into potential medical interventions.
Worldwide, more than one billion people suffer from obesity. The global obesity epidemic poses a major challenge to health systems worldwide, and the search for interventions to achieve sustainable weight loss is a high priority.
Worldwide, more than one billion people suffer from obesity. Credit: Neuroscience NewsBy investigating biological and behavioral mechanisms in obese individuals, scientists aim to identify potential avenues for treatment and interventions.
“The brain’s cholinergic system is a unique area of interest when it comes to studying obesity,” said Swen Hesse, MD, clinical scientist and professor in the Department of Nuclear Medicine at the University of Leipzig in Leipzig, Germany.
“Cholinergic changes in the brain’s reward and attention networks appear to play an important role in how people decide which foods are most desirable or important. In our study, we aimed to measure the changes in α4β2* nicotinic acetylcholine receptors found in the cholinergic system in response to high-calorie food cues.
In the study, 15 obese subjects and 16 normal-weight controls underwent PET/MRI with 18F-flubatine twice on separate days, once in a resting state and once while viewing pictures of food.
Total distribution volume of 18F-flubatin was evaluated and a visual analog scale was used to assess hunger/satiety, appetite, disinhibition, thirst, and taste states. Eating behavior was also measured using the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ).
At rest, no significant difference in the total volume of distribution of 18F-flubatine was noted between obese subjects and normal weight controls. While viewing pictures of food, however, the total volume of distribution of 18F-flubatin was higher in obese compared to normal-weight controls in the thalamus of the brain, especially in those with a higher TFEQ score.
For normal-weight controls, there was stronger connectivity with the brain’s dorsal attention network when viewing food cues, whereas for obese participants, a stronger connection with the salience network was found.
Finally, analyzes of total volume distribution and various behavioral measures showed a significant correlation between hypothalamic total volume distribution and a measure of satiety in normal weight controls. In obese participants, there was a significant correlation with measures of disinhibition and nucleus accumbens.
“We expect that the results of our study will pave the way for new drug treatments and behavioral interventions to effectively combat obesity worldwide,” noted Osama Sabri, MD, PhD, professor, director and chairman of the Department of Nuclear Medicine at the University of Leipzig.
“In addition, the imaging technology used in this study holds promise for identifying biomarkers that may aid in patient stratification and facilitate personalized medicine approaches in the near future.”
About this obesity research and neuroimaging news
Author: Rebecca Maxey
source: SNMMI
Contact: Rebecca Maxey- SNMMI
Image: Image credit: Neuroscience News
Original research: The findings will be presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging