© Freund Publishing House Ltd., London Journal of Pediatric Endocrinology & Metabolism, 23, xxx-xxx (2010) VOLUME 23, NO. 8, 2010 1 Cognitive Profile, Parental Education and BMI in Children: Reflections on Common Neuroendrocrinobiological Roots Pasquale Parisi 1 , Alberto Verrotti 2 , Maria Chiara Paolino 1 , Silvia Miano 1 , Antonella Urbano 1 , Mariangela Bernabucci 1 , and Maria Pia Villa 1 1 Child Neurology, Paediatric Sleep Centre and Pediatric Endocrinology Division, Chair of Paediatrics, II Faculty of Medicine, “Sapienza University” c/o Sant’Andrea Hospital”, Via di Grottarossa, 1035-1039 – 00189 , Rome, 2 Paediatric Department, University of Chieti, Chieti, Italy ABSTRACT Overweight and obesity may be associated with cognitive problems and both may share “neuroendocrinobiological roots” in common cerebral areas. We investigated intellectual performances and a possible “specific cogni- tive profile” in overweight/obese children. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 898 school children (6 to 13 years) attending primary schools. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-revised (WISC-R) revealed sig- nificant differences in performance intelli- gence quotient (PIQ) scores between body mass index (BMI) subgroups (p<0.01). Regres- sion analysis identified BMI as the only variable significantly related to PIQ (p<0.05). Gender (p<0.05) and parental educational score (p<0.001) were significantly related to verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ). Parental educational score was the only factor signi- ficantly related to total intelligence quotient (TIQ) (p<0.05). Parental education seems to play a major role in TIQ and VIQ; a lower PIQ score is clearly related to a higher BMI. A routine neurocognitive assessment in over- weight/obese children is recommended. Finally, we have added some reflections on common neuroendocrinobiological roots. KEY WORDS overweight, obesity, cognitive profile, intellectual performance, psychometric tests, body mass index Corresponding author: Pasquale Parisi, MD, PhD pasquale.parisi@uniroma1.it; parpas@iol.it INTRODUCTION Childhood obesity has increased so dramatically over the past 20 years in Western countries that the World Health Organization now recognizes the “obesity epidemic” as one of the top 10 global health problems 1 . Public concerns are due not only to the association of obesity with adverse physical problems, but also to a possible correlation between obesity and cognitive im- pairment. Preliminary evidence suggests that obesity is an independent contributor to cognitive functioning that is unrelated to medical co- morbidities (e.g. cardiovascular, metabolic, hepatic complications), at least in extremely obese patients 2 . There is growing evidence pointing to a correlation between obesity and impaired cognitive functions in adults 3-5 . On the other hand, an unsupported dieting has also been associated with impaired cognitive function (vigilance and planning functions) 6 . By contrast, few studies have focused on this topic in children; moreover, the results of the studies conducted on children have been contrasting, probably owing to the confounding effects 7-9 exerted mainly by socioeconomic characteristics 10 . The association between addiction and obesity is not believed to be merely casual 11 . The same underlying brain mechanisms might play a role in both substance-dependent and obese subjects 12,13 , whose poorer performance in mental flexibility has been demonstrated 5,8,14 . Other “comorbid conditions” in obese children, such as depres- sion 15 and low self-esteem 16 , have also been reported. Some authors have suggested that leptin may play a role. Indeed, leptin deficiency is believed to affect both food intake and neurodevelopment,