Relationship of estrogen synthesis capacity in the brain with obesity and self-control in men and women

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Abstract
Significance: Obesity is a major public health problem in a growing proportion of children and adults in the developed world. Estrogen influences body weight and behavioral responses to appetitive stimuli. Estrogen biosynthesis is catalyzed by the enzyme aromatase in all organs measured, including the brain. Using the aromatase radiotracer [ 11 C]vorozole, we measured aromatase availability in the amygdala in healthy-weight to obese adults. Obesity was associated with lower aromatase availability and less constraint independent of sex and age. Variability in brain estrogen synthesis may contribute to obesity by directly regulating feeding and broadly by affecting self-control. These findings suggest that brain aromatase imaging offers a method for characterizing the role of brain estrogen in obesity and other impairments in self-regulation.
Funding Information
  • U.S. Department of Energy (DE-AC02-98CH10886)
  • HHS | NIH | National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (1R21EB012707)
  • DOE | LDRD | Brookhaven National Laboratory (LDRD)
  • HHS | NIH | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (Intramural program)
  • HHS | NIH | National Institute on Drug Abuse (T32 DA007135)

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