In this study Sixiu Zhao and colleagues show that children exposed to gestational diabetes in the womb have stronger brain responses to food cues, particularly in reward-related regions. Using fMRI, they found increased connectivity between the hippocampus and areas linked to reward processing, suggesting a higher risk for future obesity.
These findings underline the impact of early exposure to diabetes on brain function and food-related behaviors.
Methods: The study involved 90 children, aged 7 to 11, who participated in an fMRI-based visual food cue task while in a fasted state. These children were divided into two groups: those exposed to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in utero and those not exposed. The task presented images of high-calorie foods and non-food items while measuring hippocampal functional connectivity (FC) to other brain regions. Zhao and colleagues analyzed the FC between the hippocampus and reward-related brain areas, adjusting for factors such as age, sex, and waist-to-hip ratio.
Findings: Children exposed to GDM showed higher hippocampal FC to reward-processing regions, including the insula, putamen, and nucleus accumbens, compared to unexposed children. This increased connectivity suggests heightened sensitivity to food cues, which may increase the risk of overeating and obesity.
Additionally, as BMI increased in GDM-exposed children, lower connectivity was observed between the hippocampus and somatosensory cortex, indicating potential disruptions in food texture processing and satiety signals.
Publikation:
Zhao, S., Semeia, L., Veit, R., Luo, S., Angelo, B. C., Chow, T., Birkenfeld, A. L., Preissl, H., Xiang, A. H., Page, K. A., & Kullmann, S. (2024). Exposure to gestational diabetes mellitus in utero impacts hippocampal functional connectivity in response to food cues in children. International Journal of Obesity. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41366-024-01608-1 [alternate link]