Effect of menstrual cycle phase on corticolimbic brain activation by visual food cues
Abstract
Food intake is decreased during the late follicular phase and increased in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. While a changing ovarian steroid milieu is believed to be responsible for this behavior, the specific mechanisms involved are poorly understood. Brain activity in response to visual food stimuli was compared during the estrogen dominant peri-ovulatory phase and the progesterone dominant luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Twelve women underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging during the peri-ovulatory and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle in a counterbalanced fashion. Whole brain T2* images were collected while subjects viewed pictures of high calorie (HC) foods, low calorie (LC) foods, and control (C) pictures presented in a block design. Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal in the late follicular phase and luteal phase was determined for the contrasts HC-C, LC-C, HC-LC, and LC-HC. Both HC and LC stimuli activated numerous corticolimbic brain regions in the follicular phase, whereas only HC stimuli were effective in the luteal phase. Activation of the nucleus accumbens (NAc), amygdala, and hippocampus in response to the HC-C contrast and the hippocampus in response to the LC-C contrast was significantly increased in the late follicular phase compared to the luteal phase. Activation of the orbitofrontal cortex and mid cingulum in response to the HC-LC contrast was greater during the luteal phase. These results demonstrate for the first time that brain responses to visual food cues are influenced by menstrual cycle phase. We postulate that ovarian steroid modulation of the corticolimbic brain contributes to changes in ingestive behavior during the menstrual cycle.
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Women were not included in this initial study to avoid confounding that might have arisen from the menstrual cycle.
“Women were not included in this initial study to avoid the confounding that might have arisen from the menstrual cycle (19).”
From Effects of dietary glycemic index on brain regions related to reward and craving in men (2013) · cites this paper as [19]
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- Authors
- Frank, T. C., Kim, G. L., Krzemien, A., & Van Vugt, D. A.
- Affiliations
- Queen's University (CA)
- Venue
- Brain Research
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2010-12
- Volume
- 1363
- Pages
- 81-92
- ISSN
- 0006-8993 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2081552422
- Cited by
- 122
- References
- 70
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 11 · 2012: 10
- FWCI
- 3.48
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Brain Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Physicians Services Incorporated
- Botterell Foundation
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Keywords
- menstrual cycle, luteal phase, follicular phase, visual food cues, corticolimbic system, nucleus accumbens, amygdala, hippocampus, orbitofrontal cortex, midcingulate cortex, ovarian steroids, estrogen, progesterone, dietary intake, high-calorie foods, low-calorie foods, ingestive behavior
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Amygdala, Cerebral Cortex, Eating, Female, Follicular Phase, Food, Food Preferences, Gyrus Cinguli, Hippocampus, Humans, Limbic System, Luteal Phase, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Menstrual Cycle, Neural Pathways, Nucleus Accumbens, Photic Stimulation, Young Adult
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