Neural Circuits for Cognitive Appetite Control in Healthy and Obese Individuals: An fMRI Study

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 10; no. 2; p. e0116640
• Main Authors: Tuulari, Jetro J., Karlsson, Henry K., Hirvonen, Jussi, Salminen, Paulina, Nuutila, Pirjo, Nummenmaa, Lauri
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 06.02.2015; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Adult; Appetite; Appetite Regulation; Body mass; Brain; Brain mapping; Brain Mapping - methods; Brain research; Case-Control Studies; Cerebral Cortex - physiology; Circuits; Cognition; Cognitive ability; Cortex; Executive function; Female; Food; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Gastrointestinal surgery; Humans; Hunger; Inhibition; Magnetic resonance; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Medical imaging; Mental task performance; Middle Aged; Neural circuitry; Neural networks; Neuroimaging; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Obesity; Obesity - physiopathology; Obesity - psychology; Pictures; Reinforcement; Studies; Trends; Viewing; Visual pathways; Visual signals; Finland

The mere sight of foods may activate the brain's reward circuitry, and humans often experience difficulties in inhibiting urges to eat upon encountering visual food signals. Imbalance between the reward circuit and those supporting inhibitory control may underlie obesity, yet brain circuits sup...