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Structural Brain Correlates With Appetite and Eating Disturbances Across the Alzheimer Disease Spectrum
Truelove Ejiofor, Olajugba Oluwafunmilayo J., Arushi Kala, Archibong D. Ephraim, Apochi Obed Okwoli. Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders, 2026-01-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Appetite disturbances were present in 9.4% of participants and were associated with greater neuropsychiatric burden and disease severity. Cross-sectionally, lower global gray matter volume showed the most robust association, while regional effects were attenuated after neuropsychiatric adjustment. Longitudinally, baseline brain structure predicted incident appetite disturbance only among cognitively normal participants (OR per SD decrease=0.87). Appetite disturbances may reflect diffuse neurodegenerative vulnerability and represent early behavioral markers of Alzheimer-related brain aging.
Key findings
- Appetite disturbances were present in 9.4% of participants and were associated with greater neuropsychiatric burden and disease severity.
- Cross-sectionally, lower global gray matter volume showed the most robust association, while regional effects were attenuated after neuropsychiatric adjustment.
- Longitudinally, baseline brain structure predicted incident appetite disturbance only among cognitively normal participants (OR per SD decrease=0.87).
- Appetite disturbances may reflect diffuse neurodegenerative vulnerability and represent early behavioral markers of Alzheimer-related brain aging.
Why it matters
This study found that appetite disturbances were present in 9.4% of participants and were linked to greater disease severity, with lower gray matter volume showing the strongest association. It describes a possible early behavioral marker and does not test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants7,223
- Effect size9.4%
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 47/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders: journal h-index 131 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| Strength of evidence | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 3 / 4 | 7,223 participants |
| Effect reported | 2 / 3 | Effect reported as a number, without an interval or test |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 1 / 7 | Cited 1 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.5 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 4.7× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 1 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 0 / 4 | Last-listed author Apochi Obed Okwoli: h-index 2 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Ruhr University Bochum: institution h-index 704 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 3 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41701517) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 47 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 6 Feb 1020), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Ejiofor, T., Olajugba Oluwafunmilayo, J., Kala, A., Ephraim, A. D., & Okwoli, A. O. (2026). Structural Brain Correlates With Appetite and Eating Disturbances Across the Alzheimer Disease Spectrum. Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders. https://doi.org/10.1097/wad.0000000000000719
Vancouver
Ejiofor T, Olajugba Oluwafunmilayo J, Kala A, Ephraim AD, Okwoli AO. Structural Brain Correlates With Appetite and Eating Disturbances Across the Alzheimer Disease Spectrum. Alzheimer Disease & Associated Disorders. 2026. doi:10.1097/wad.0000000000000719. PMID: 41701517.
BibTeX
@article{ejiofor2026-41701517,
author = {Ejiofor, Truelove and Olajugba Oluwafunmilayo, J. and Kala, Arushi and Ephraim, Archibong D. and Okwoli, Apochi Obed},
title = {{Structural Brain Correlates With Appetite and Eating Disturbances Across the Alzheimer Disease Spectrum}},
journal = {Alzheimer Disease \& Associated Disorders},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.1097/wad.0000000000000719},
pmid = {41701517},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/wad.0000000000000719}
}
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