Obesity and Neuroinflammation: Mechanisms, Evidence, and Implications for Health

Mugisha Emmanuel K.

 

Faculty of Science and Technology Kampala International University Uganda

ABSTRACT
Obesity represents a growing global health crisis, characterized by excessive adiposity and associated with multiple metabolic, cardiovascular, and neuropsychiatric comorbidities. Recent evidence indicates that obesity is strongly linked to neuroinflammation, mediated through peripheral and central immune mechanisms. Excess adipose tissue contributes to chronic low-grade systemic inflammation, with elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β crossing the blood–brain barrier and activating microglia and astrocytes in the central nervous system (CNS). These neuroinflammatory processes impact cognitive function, mood regulation, and the hypothalamic control of energy homeostasis, potentially accelerating neurodegenerative disorders and psychiatric conditions. Lifestyle interventions, including dietary modification and physical activity, as well as pharmacological strategies targeting inflammation, show promise in mitigating obesity-related neuroinflammation. Nevertheless, current research is limited by cross-sectional designs, incomplete mechanistic understanding, and insufficient translation from animal models to human populations. Future studies integrating multi-omics approaches, longitudinal designs, and precision medicine strategies are needed to clarify the causal pathways linking obesity and neuroinflammation, improve early interventions, and reduce the burden of obesity-related neuropsychiatric and cognitive disorders.

Keywords: Obesity, Neuroinflammation, Blood–brain barrier, Microglial activation, and Cognitive decline.

 

CITE AS: Mugisha Emmanuel K. (2026). Obesity and Neuroinflammation: Mechanisms, Evidence, and Implications for Health. IDOSR JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCES 12(1): 20-27. https://doi.org/10.59298/IDOSR/JES/06/1212027