Cited by 356Regulation of Appetite and ObesityNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorEating Disorders and Behaviors

Fasting biases brain reward systems towards high‐calorie foods

Goldstone, Anthony P., Prechtl de Hernandez, Christina G., Beaver, John D., Muhammed, Kinan, Croese, Charlotte, Bell, Gabriel, Durighel, Giuliana, Hughes, Emer +3 more·2009·European Journal of Neuroscience

Abstract

Nutritional state (e.g. fasted vs. fed) and different food stimuli (e.g. high‐calorie vs. low‐calorie, or appetizing vs. bland foods) are both recognized to change activity in brain reward systems. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we have studied the interaction between nutritional state and different food stimuli on brain food reward systems. We examined how blood oxygen level‐dependent activity within a priori regions of interest varied while viewing pictures of high‐calorie and low‐calorie foods. Pictures of non‐food household objects were included as control stimuli. During scanning, subjects rated the appeal of each picture. Twenty non‐obese healthy adults [body mass index 22.1 ± 0.5 kg/m 2 (mean ± SEM), age range 19–35 years, 10 male] were scanned on two separate mornings between 11:00 and 12:00 h, once after eating a filling breakfast (‘fed’: 1.6 ± 0.1 h since breakfast), and once after an overnight fast but skipping breakfast (‘fasted’: 15.9 ± 0.3 h since supper) in a randomized cross‐over design. Fasting selectively increased activation to pictures of high‐calorie over low‐calorie foods in the ventral striatum, amygdala, anterior insula, and medial and lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC). Furthermore, fasting enhanced the subjective appeal of high‐calorie more than low‐calorie foods, and the change in appeal bias towards high‐calorie foods was positively correlated with medial and lateral OFC activation. These results demonstrate an interaction between homeostatic and hedonic aspects of feeding behaviour, with fasting biasing brain reward systems towards high‐calorie foods.

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Crossref · 10.1111/j.1460-9568.2009.06949.x

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  • The targeted effect size was chosen based on findings from studies employing CIC paradigms for drug craving, food cravings, and internet gaming craving, which report medium-to-large effect sizes in cue reactivity.

    “The targeted-effect size was chosen based on findings from studies employing CIC paradigms for drug craving52, food cravings25,37,53,54 and internet gaming craving27, which report medium-to-large effect sizes in cue reactivity52.”
  • Caloric deprivation increases the reward value of high-calorie foods more than low-calorie foods.

    “suggesting that caloric deprivation increases the reward value of high-calorie foods more than low-calorie foods.”
  • One experiment found greater response in attention and reward regions to pictures of high-calorie versus low-calorie foods after caloric deprivation versus a non-deprivation condition.

    “One experiment found a greater response in attention (posterior cingulate cortex) and reward (amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex [OFC], insula, and striatum) regions to pictures of high-calorie versus low-calorie foods after a period of caloric deprivation versus a non-deprivation condition”
  • The evidence that elective caloric restriction in the present studies was associated with greater responsivity of attention and reward regions to palatable food images, anticipated receipt of palatable food, and receipt of palatable food extends findings from caloric deprivation experiments.

    “The evidence that elective caloric restriction in the present studies was associated with greater responsivity of attention and reward regions to palatable food images, anticipated receipt of palatable food, and receipt of palatable food more broadly extend findings from caloric deprivation experiments.”

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Authors
Goldstone, A. P., Prechtl de Hernandez, C. G., Beaver, J. D., Muhammed, K., Croese, C., Bell, G., Durighel, G., Hughes, E., Waldman, A. D., Frost, G., & Bell, J. D.
Affiliations
  • Hammersmith Hospital (GB)
  • GlaxoSmithKline (United Kingdom) (GB)
  • Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (GB)
Venue
European Journal of Neuroscience
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2009-10
Volume
30
Issue
8
Pages
1625-1635
ISSN
  • 0953-816X (ISSN-L)
  • 1460-9568
OpenAlex
W1968750483
Cited by
356
References
82
Citations by year
2026: 14 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 24 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 16 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 27 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 30 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 30
FWCI
9.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • European Journal of Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute for Health and Care Research (NF-SI-0508-10112)
  • Medical Research Council
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
Keywords
fasting, food reward, high-calorie foods, nutritional status, brain reward system, ventral striatum, amygdala, anterior insula, orbitofrontal cortex, food appeal
MeSH terms
Adult, Brain, Brain Mapping, Fasting, Female, Food, Food Preferences, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Oxygen, Pain Measurement, Photic Stimulation, Reward, Young Adult

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