Metabolic syndrome and neurometabolic asymmetry of hippocampus in adult bonnet monkeys.

TitleMetabolic syndrome and neurometabolic asymmetry of hippocampus in adult bonnet monkeys.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2011
AuthorsCoplan JD, Abdallah CG, Mathew SJ, Shungu DC, Mao X, Smith ELP, Kaufman D, Gorman JM, Owens MJ, Nemeroff CB, Banerji MAnn, Rosenblum LA, Kral JG
JournalPhysiol Behav
Volume103
Issue5
Pagination535-9
Date Published2011 Jul 06
ISSN1873-507X
KeywordsAnimals, Aspartic Acid, Blood Glucose, Choline, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone, Creatine, Functional Laterality, Hippocampus, Insulin, Macaca radiata, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Male, Metabolic Syndrome, Stress, Psychological
Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Obesity is associated with the insulin resistance metabolic syndrome, postulated to be mediated by stress-induced alterations within the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In adult bonnet macaques we examined relationships between components of the metabolic syndrome, hippocampal neurometabolic asymmetry, an indicator of negative affect, and juvenile cerebrospinal fluid (csf) corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) levels obtained after stress exposure associated with maternal food insecurity and in controls.

METHODS: Eleven adult male monkeys (seven with early life stress) who had undergone csf-CRF analyses as juveniles had magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) of bilateral hippocampus, morphometry (body mass index, BMI; sagittal abdominal diameter, SAD) and determination of fasting plasma glucose and insulin as adults. Neurometabolite ratios included N-acetyl-aspartate as numerator (NAA; a marker of neuronal integrity) and choline (Cho; cell turnover) and creatine (Cr; reference analyte) as denominators.

RESULTS: Elevated juvenile csf-CRF levels positively predicted adult BMI and SAD and were associated with right>left shift of NAA ratio within the hippocampus. Adult visceral obesity and insulin level correlated with right>left shift in hippocampal NAA concentrations, controlling for age and denominator.

CONCLUSION: Juvenile csf-CRF levels, a neuropeptide associated with early life stress, predict adult visceral obesity and hippocampal asymmetry supporting the hypothesis that metabolic syndrome in adults may be related to early life stress. Furthermore, this study demonstrates asymmetrical hippocampal alterations related to obesity.

DOI10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.03.020
Alternate JournalPhysiol Behav
PubMed ID21459102
PubMed Central IDPMC3107881
Grant ListR01 MH059990 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
MH 58911 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
T32-MH15144 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
P50 MH058911 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
T32 MH015144 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
R01 MH059990-01A1 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
MH 59990 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
Related Institute: 
MRI Research Institute (MRIRI)

Weill Cornell Medicine
Department of Radiology
525 East 68th Street New York, NY 10065