Pilot Associations between Adverse Childhood Experiences, Executive Function, and Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) among Adults with Excess Adiposity

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) may predict markers of neurocognitive performance (i.e., executive function; EF) and brain health/plasticity brain-derived neurotrophic factor; BDNF). This pilot examined: (1) ACES history current EF performance, (2) ACEs BDNF levels, (3) levels. We hypothesized that higher would be associated with lower scores these patterns serum Given the nature study, emphasis was placed on effect size vs. significance. Participants were 37 middle-aged women. Higher not directly (β = 0.08, p 0.635) but showed potentially meaningful negative beta coefficients proBDNF levels −0.22, 0.200) positive mature 0.28, 0.094). a relationship did reach significance (r 0.100) similar to 0.14, 0.406). In modest sample women excess weight, BDNF. Larger follow-up studies are warranted given detected theoretical implications obesity as neurocognitively toxic for health performance.