A Brown Theorem for Dehn functions of graphs of groups

Abstract

We prove an upper bound on the Dehn function of a group $G$ acting cellularly, cocompactly, and without inversions on a simply connected CW complex $X$ in terms of the Dehn functions of the vertex stabilizers, the Dehn function of $X$, and the distortion of the edge stabilizers, provided that $X$ is either a tree or the stabilizer of each $2$-cell has finite index in the stabilizer of every edge in its boundary. This provides a Dehn function analogue of Brown's Theorem for finiteness properties and an answer to a question of Zaremsky in these cases. We also prove analogues of our result for higher Dehn functions when $X$ is a tree.