Brain Health and Metabolic Risk in Youth Ages 12 to 17 With Different Body Weights and Blood Sugar Levels

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are studying youth aged 12 to 17 years across different body weight and blood sugar levels to understand how features related to type 2 diabetes risk, such as obesity and insulin resistance, affect brain structure and function. The study aims to find which factors are most linked to changes in the brain over time and how these differ from normal brain development during puberty. This research focuses on youth given the aggressive progression of type 2 diabetes and its possible long-term impact on brain health. The study observes three groups of pubertal youth normal weight with normal glucose tolerance, overweight or obese with normal glucose tolerance, and overweight or obese with dysglycemia. Brain health is assessed using magnetic resonance imaging MRI scans and cognitive tests at the start and again after 21 months. Key brain measures include hippocampal volume, neuroinflammation, cerebral blood flow, and cognitive skills such as memory, processing speed, and executive function. Participants will have two visits 21 months apart, during which MRI scans and cognitive tests will be performed. Researchers will track changes in brain structure and function over this period and relate these to metabolic factors like obesity and blood sugar levels. The study will also collect information on insulin resistance, inflammation, and other diabetes-related factors to understand their effects on the developing brain. The overall participation period spans 21 months with detailed brain and cognitive assessments.

Brain Health in Youth With Normal Weight, Overweight and Obesity at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes (T2D)