Metabolic Syndrome Linked with Brain Abnormalities in Adolescents

Abstract

Metabolic syndrome is associated with cognitive dysfunction in middle-age and older adults, but the association has not been studied in children. Investigators compared brain structure and cognitive performance in 49 adolescents with metabolic syndrome (age range, 14–20 years; 63% female; 84% Hispanic) and 62 matched controls without metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome was defined as at least three of the following five criteria: waist circumference ≥90th percentile for age …