Food Addiction Symptoms and Amygdala Response in Fasted and Fed States
1
Faculty of Health and Medicine, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
2
Priority Research Centre for Physical Activity and Nutrition, The University of Newcastle, University Drive, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia
3
Department of Psychiatry, Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), and CIBERSAM, 08907 Barcelona, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Nutrients 2019, 11(6), 1285; https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11061285
Received: 5 May 2019 / Revised: 4 June 2019 / Accepted: 4 June 2019 / Published: 6 June 2019
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Addiction and Eating Addiction: Scientific Advances and their Clinical, Social and Policy Implications)
Few studies have investigated the underlying neural substrates of food addiction (FA) in humans using a recognised assessment tool. In addition, no studies have investigated subregions of the amygdala (basolateral (BLA) and central amygdala), which have been linked to reward-seeking behaviours, susceptibility to weight gain, and promoting appetitive behaviours, in the context of FA. This pilot study aimed to explore the association between FA symptoms and activation in the BLA and central amygdala via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), in response to visual food cues in fasted and fed states. Females (n = 12) aged 18–35 years completed two fMRI scans (fasted and fed) while viewing high-calorie food images and low-calorie food images. Food addiction symptoms were assessed using the Yale Food Addiction Scale. Associations between FA symptoms and activation of the BLA and central amygdala were tested using bilateral masks and small-volume correction procedures in multiple regression models, controlling for BMI. Participants were 24.1 ± 2.6 years, with mean BMI of 27.4 ± 5.0 kg/m2 and FA symptom score of 4.1 ± 2.2. A significant positive association was identified between FA symptoms and higher activation of the left BLA to high-calorie versus low-calorie foods in the fasted session, but not the fed session. There were no significant associations with the central amygdala in either session. This exploratory study provides pilot data to inform future studies investigating the neural mechanisms underlying FA.
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Keywords:
Food addiction; Yale Food Addiction Scale; functional magnetic resonance imaging; basolateral amygdala
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MDPI and ACS Style
Pursey, K.M.; Contreras-Rodriguez, O.; Collins, C.E.; Stanwell, P.; Burrows, T.L. Food Addiction Symptoms and Amygdala Response in Fasted and Fed States. Nutrients 2019, 11, 1285. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11061285
AMA Style
Pursey KM, Contreras-Rodriguez O, Collins CE, Stanwell P, Burrows TL. Food Addiction Symptoms and Amygdala Response in Fasted and Fed States. Nutrients. 2019; 11(6):1285. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11061285
Chicago/Turabian StylePursey, Kirrilly M.; Contreras-Rodriguez, Oren; Collins, Clare E.; Stanwell, Peter; Burrows, Tracy L. 2019. "Food Addiction Symptoms and Amygdala Response in Fasted and Fed States" Nutrients 11, no. 6: 1285. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11061285
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