Impact of Hypothalamic Gliosis on Appetite Regulation and Obesity Risk in Children

The proposed 2-site research study uses a longitudinal cohort design in 102 children aged 9-11 yr. It will include for all participants baseline MRI and functional MRI, in-depth eating behavior testing, and measurement of hormone profiles. Serial measurement of weight and self-reported eating habits will occur over 2 yr, with a repeated MRI at 2 yr. The study aims to: 1) test if MBH gliosis is associated with impaired intake regulation and poor weight outcomes over 2 yr in children, 2) determine if CNS appetitive processing is negatively affected when evidence of MBH gliosis is present, and 3) test for other brain regions in which gliosis is present in association with excess adiposity in children. An exploratory aim will assess changes in gliosis in children over 2 yr and their relation to changes in body weight and adiposity.