Cited by 56Eating Disorders and BehaviorsRegulation of Appetite and ObesityNeural and Behavioral Psychology Studies

Acute stress potentiates brain response to milkshake as a function of body weight and chronic stress

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Rudenga, K J, Sinha, R, Small, D M·2013·International Journal of Obesity

Abstract

Objective Stress is associated with an increased intake of palatable foods and with weight gain, particularly in overweight women. Stress, food and body mass index (BMI) have been separately shown to affect amygdala activity. However, it is not known whether stress influences amygdala responses to palatable foods, and whether this response is associated with chronic stress or BMI.Design A total of 14 overweight and obese women participated in a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan as they consumed a palatable milkshake during script-driven, autobiographical, guided imagery of stressful and neutral-relaxing scenarios.Results We report that a network including insula, somatomotor mouth area, ventral striatum and thalamus responds to milkshake receipt, but none of these areas are affected by stress. In contrast, whereas the left amygdala responds to milkshake irrespective of condition, the right amygdala responds to milkshake only under stressful conditions. Moreover, this right amygdala response is positively associated with basal cortisol levels, an objective measure of chronic stress. We also found a positive relationship between BMI and stress-related increased response to milkshake in the orbitofrontal cortex(OFC).Conclusion These results demonstrate that acute stress potentiates response to food in the right amygdala and OFC as a function of chronic stress and body weight, respectively. This suggests that the influence of acute stress in potentiating amygdala and OFC responses to food is dependent upon individual factors like BMI and chronic stress. We conclude that BMI and chronic stress play a significant role in brain response to food and in stress-related eating.

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  • Stress is associated with increased consumption of palatable foods and weight gain, and acute stress uncovers a strong correlation between BMI and potentiated OFC activation in response to milkshake consumption.

    “stress is not only associated with increased consumption of palatable foods and weight gain, but acute stress also uncovers a strong correlation between BMI and a potentiated activation in response to milkshake consumption in the OFC (59)”

    From Obesity and addiction: Neurobiological overlaps (2013) · cites this paper as [59]

  • Acute stress increases amygdala and blunts medial orbitofrontal cortex response to milkshake versus tasteless receipt, but this effect was moderated by high cortisol levels and by high body mass index respectively.

    “acute stress increases amygdala and blunts medial orbito-frontal cortex response to milkshake vs tasteless receipt, but this effect was moderated by high cortisol levels and by high BMI respectively”

    From Role of addiction and stress neurobiology on food intake and obesity (2018) · cites this paper as Rudenga, Sinha, & Small, 2013

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  1. [40]Nolan-Poupart S Veldhuizen MG Midbrain and medial orbital cortex response to milkshake predicts ad lib milkshake intake Quebec CIty In press

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Authors
Rudenga, K. J., Sinha, R., & Small, D. M.
Affiliations
Yale University (US)
Corresponding author
Small, D M
Venue
International Journal of Obesity
Published
2012-03-20
Volume
37
Issue
2
Pages
309-316
ISSN
  • 0307-0565 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-5497
OpenAlex
W2041422090
Cited by
56
References
83
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 6 · 2012: 1
FWCI
5.82
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • International Journal of Obesity (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • Yale University (UL1-RR024139)
  • Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute
  • National Institutes of Health (NRSA F31, PL1-DA02485 9)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (U54 DA022292, R03DA022292, PL1DA024859)
  • National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (F31-DC010557-01, F31DC010557)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01DK085579)
  • National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (UL1DE019586)
  • National Center for Research Resources (UL1RR024139)
  • Common Fund (PL1-DA024859, UL1-DE019586)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
Keywords
acute stress, chronic stress, body mass index, amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, palatable food, milkshakes, stress eating, cortisol, obesity, overweight women, insula, ventral striatum, thalamus
MeSH terms
Acute Disease, Adolescent, Adult, Amygdala, Animals, Basal Ganglia, Beverages, Brain Mapping, Chronic Disease, Female, Food Preferences, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Middle Aged, Milk, Obesity, Reward, Somatosensory Cortex, Stress, Psychological, Thalamus, Weight Gain, Body Mass Index

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