1
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Wu T, Tan X, Li Y, Liang Y, Fan J. The Relationship between Occupational Fatigue and Well-Being: The Moderating Effect of Unhealthy Eating Behaviour. Behav Sci (Basel) 2024; 14:32. [PMID: 38247684 PMCID: PMC10813322 DOI: 10.3390/bs14010032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Tech giants are large, well-known internet and technology companies. Employees of such companies are generally expected to work fast and for long periods of time, causing them to experience high occupational fatigue. The relationship between occupational fatigue and well-being is complex. Furthermore, in the context of the workplace, unhealthy eating behaviour may be used as a mechanism to cope with fatigue and stress. This study explored the relationship between occupational fatigue, well-being and unhealthy eating behaviour within this specific professional population. Study 1 used qualitative research methods, in which in-depth interviews were conducted with staff working at 13 tech giants in Shenzhen, China (N = 50). The findings revealed that work-related stress and occupational fatigue are common among employees working for tech giants. Additionally, factors such as unhealthy eating behaviour, workload, working hours and workplace interpersonal relationships were found to influence occupational well-being. Study 2 involved a cross-sessional survey of 237 employees of tech giants. The results indicated that occupational fatigue negatively impacts occupational well-being and that unhealthy eating behaviours play a moderating role between occupational fatigue and occupational well-being. These findings highlight the significance of adopting appropriate measures to improve the situation and cope with the effects of occupational fatigue by managing unhealthy eating behaviours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingyu Wu
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China (Y.L.)
| | - Xiaotong Tan
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China (Y.L.)
| | - Yuying Li
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China (Y.L.)
| | - Yongqi Liang
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China (Y.L.)
| | - Jialin Fan
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China (Y.L.)
- The Shenzhen Humanities & Social Sciences Key Research Bases of the Center for Mental Health, Shenzhen 518060, China
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2
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Cassaday HJ, Muir C, Stevenson CW, Bonardi C, Hock R, Waite L. From safety to frustration: The neural substrates of inhibitory learning in aversive and appetitive conditioning procedures. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2023; 202:107757. [PMID: 37044368 DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2023.107757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Inhibitory associative learning counters the effects of excitatory learning, whether appetitively or aversively motivated. Moreover, the affective responses accompanying the inhibitory associations are of opponent valence to the excitatory conditioned responses. Inhibitors for negative aversive outcomes (e.g. shock) signal safety, while inhibitors for appetitive outcomes (e.g. food reward) elicit frustration and/or disappointment. This raises the question as to whether studies using appetitive and aversive conditioning procedures should demonstrate the same neural substrates for inhibitory learning. We review the neural substrates of appetitive and aversive inhibitory learning as measured in different procedural variants and in the context of the underpinning excitatory conditioning on which it depends. The mesocorticolimbic dopamine pathways, retrosplenial cortex and hippocampus are consistently implicated in inhibitory learning. Further neural substrates identified in some procedural variants may be related to the specific motivation of the learning task and modalities of the learning cues. Finally, we consider the translational implications of our understanding of the neural substrates of inhibitory learning, for obesity and addictions as well as for anxiety disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - C Muir
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham; School of Physiology, Pharmacology, and Neuroscience, University of Bristol
| | | | - C Bonardi
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham
| | - R Hock
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham
| | - L Waite
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham
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3
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Manelis A, Halchenko YO, Satz S, Ragozzino R, Iyengar S, Swartz HA, Levine MD. The interaction between depression diagnosis and BMI is related to altered activation pattern in the right inferior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex during food anticipation. Brain Behav 2022; 12:e2695. [PMID: 35962573 PMCID: PMC9480896 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.2695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression and overweight/obesity often cooccur but the underlying neural mechanisms for this bidirectional link are not well understood. METHODS In this functional magnetic resonance imaging study, we scanned 54 individuals diagnosed with depressive disorders (DD) and 48 healthy controls (HC) to examine how diagnostic status moderates the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and brain activation during anticipation and pleasantness rating of food versus nonfood stimuli. RESULTS We found a significant BMI-by-diagnosis interaction effect on activation in the right inferior frontal gyrus (RIFG) and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) during food versus nonfood anticipation (p < .0125). Brain activation in these regions was greater in HC with higher BMI than in HC with lower BMI. Individuals with DD showed an opposite pattern of activation. Structural equation modeling revealed that the relationship between BMI, activation in the RIFG and ACC, and participants' desire to eat food items shown in the experiment depended on the diagnostic status. CONCLUSIONS Considering that food anticipation is an important component of appetitive behavior and that the RIFG and ACC are involved in emotion regulation, response inhibition and conflict monitoring necessary to control this behavior, we propose that future clinical trials targeting weight loss in DD should investigate whether adequate mental preparation positively affects subsequent food consumption behaviors in these individuals.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Manelis
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvania
| | - YO Halchenko
- Department of Psychological and Brain SciencesDartmouth CollegeHanoverNew Hampshire
| | - S Satz
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvania
| | - R Ragozzino
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvania
| | - S Iyengar
- Department of StatisticsUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvania
| | - HA Swartz
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvania
| | - MD Levine
- Department of PsychiatryUniversity of PittsburghPittsburghPennsylvania
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4
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Thrailkill EA, Alcalá JA. Relapse after incentivized choice treatment in humans: A laboratory model for studying behavior change. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 2022; 30:220-234. [PMID: 33507769 PMCID: PMC8363208 DOI: 10.1037/pha0000443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Behavior change interventions that incentivize desired behavior are highly effective for improving personal health, but difficult to maintain long term. Relapse is common and examining the mechanisms that contribute to relapse in experimental settings can identify processes relevant to substance abuse treatment. We developed a laboratory task that parallels a recent operant model of relapse after incentivized choice reported in the rodent laboratory. In two experiments, undergraduate participants first learned to make an operant response (keyboard button; R1) to earn a reinforcer consisting of an image of a preferred snack food (O1). In a second phase (Phase 2), R1 was still reinforced, but a new response (R2) was introduced and reinforced with a different reinforcer (a coin; O2). In a test phase, contingent incentives for R2 were removed (extinction) and relapse of R1 was assessed. Experiment 1 found that the O2 contingency suppressed R1 during Phase 2, and R1 relapsed rapidly in the test. Neither effect was consistently related to O2 value. Experiment 2 examined whether noncontingent presentations of O1 or O2 during the test could weaken relapse. Here, we found that noncontingent reinforcers did little to reduce or slow the increase in R1 responding. The present experiments highlight a laboratory approach to studying variables that may influence relapse after incentivized treatment. We identify and discuss areas for development to address differences between the present results and prior observations from animal and clinical studies. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - José A. Alcalá
- Department of Neuroscience, Psychology and Behaviour, University of Leicester,Department of Psychology, University of Jaén
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5
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Brunner EJ, Maruyama K, Shipley M, Cable N, Iso H, Hiyoshi A, Stallone D, Kumari M, Tabak A, Singh-Manoux A, Wilson J, Langenberg C, Wareham N, Boniface D, Hingorani A, Kivimäki M, Llewellyn C. Appetite disinhibition rather than hunger explains genetic effects on adult BMI trajectory. Int J Obes (Lond) 2021; 45:758-765. [PMID: 33446837 PMCID: PMC8005371 DOI: 10.1038/s41366-020-00735-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Background/objectives The mediating role of eating behaviors in genetic susceptibility to weight gain during mid-adult life is not fully understood. This longitudinal study aims to help us understand contributions of genetic susceptibility and appetite to weight gain. Subjects/methods We followed the body-mass index (BMI) trajectories of 2464 adults from 45 to 65 years of age by measuring weight and height on four occasions at 5-year intervals. Genetic risk of obesity (gene risk score: GRS) was ascertained, comprising 92 BMI-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms and split at a median (=high and low risk). At the baseline, the Eating Inventory was used to assess appetite-related traits of ‘disinhibition’, indicative of opportunistic eating or overeating and ‘hunger’ which is susceptibility to/ability to cope with the sensation of hunger. Roles of the GRS and two appetite-related scores for BMI trajectories were examined using a mixed model adjusted for the cohort effect and sex. Results Disinhibition was associated with higher BMI (β = 2.96; 95% CI: 2.66–3.25 kg/m2), and accounted for 34% of the genetically-linked BMI difference at age 45. Hunger was also associated with higher BMI (β = 1.20; 0.82–1.59 kg/m2) during mid-life and slightly steeper weight gain, but did not attenuate the effect of disinhibition. Conclusions Appetite disinhibition is most likely to be a defining characteristic of genetic susceptibility to obesity. High levels of appetite disinhibition, rather than hunger, may underlie genetic vulnerability to obesogenic environments in two-thirds of the population of European ancestry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric J Brunner
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Koutatsu Maruyama
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK. .,Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan. .,Laboratory of Community Health and Nutrition, Department of Bioscience, Graduate School of Agriculture, Ehime University, Matsuyama, Japan.
| | - Martin Shipley
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Noriko Cable
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Hiroyasu Iso
- Public Health, Department of Social Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Suita, Japan
| | - Ayako Hiyoshi
- Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Medical Sciences, Örebro University, Örebro, Sweden
| | | | - Meena Kumari
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK.,Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Colchester, UK
| | - Adam Tabak
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK.,Department of Internal Medicine and Ocology, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary.,Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Archana Singh-Manoux
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK.,Epidemiology of Ageing and Neurodegenerative diseases, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - John Wilson
- North Devon Medical Education Centre, North Devon District Hospital, Barnstaple, UK
| | - Claudia Langenberg
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Nick Wareham
- MRC Epidemiology Unit, Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - David Boniface
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Aroon Hingorani
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, London, UK
| | - Mika Kivimäki
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
| | - Clare Llewellyn
- Institute of Epidemiology and Health Care, University College London, London, UK
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6
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Hartmann H, Pauli LK, Janssen LK, Huhn S, Ceglarek U, Horstmann A. Preliminary evidence for an association between intake of high-fat high-sugar diet, variations in peripheral dopamine precursor availability and dopamine-dependent cognition in humans. J Neuroendocrinol 2020; 32:e12917. [PMID: 33270945 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Obesity is associated with alterations in dopaminergic transmission and cognitive function. Rodent studies suggest that diets rich in saturated fat and refined sugars (HFS), as opposed to diets diets low in saturated fat and refined sugars (LFS), change the dopamine system independent of excessive body weight. However, the impact of HFS on the human brain has not been investigated. Here, we compared the effect of dietary dopamine depletion on dopamine-dependent cognitive task performance between two groups differing in habitual intake of dietary fat and sugar. Specifically, we used a double-blind within-subject cross-over design to compare the effect of acute phenylalanine/tyrosine depletion on a reinforcement learning and a working memory task, in two groups that are on opposite ends of the spectrum of self-reported HFS intake (low vs high intake: LFS vs HFS group). We tested 31 healthy young women matched for body mass index (mostly normal weight to overweight) and IQ. Depletion of peripheral precursors of dopamine reduced the working memory specific performance on the operation span task in the LFS, but not in the HFS group (P = 0.016). Learning from positive- and negative-reinforcement (probabilistic selection task) was increased in both diet groups after dopamine depletion (P = 0.049). As a secondary exploratory research question, we measured peripheral dopamine precursor availability (pDAP) at baseline as an estimate for central dopamine levels. The HFS group had a significantly higher pDAP at baseline compared to the LFS group (P = 0.025). Our data provide the first evidence indicating that the intake of HFS is associated with changes in dopamine precursor availability, which is suggestive of changes in central dopamine levels in humans. The observed associations are present in a sample of normal to overweight participants (ie, in the absence of obesity), suggesting that the consumption of a HFS might already be associated with altered behaviours. Alternatively, the effects of HFS diet and obesity might be independent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Hartmann
- Collaborative Research Centre 1052 'Obesity Mechanisms', Leipzig University Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Neurology, MaxPlanck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Larissa K Pauli
- Department of Neurology, MaxPlanck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center AdiposityDiseases, Leipzig University Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Lieneke K Janssen
- Department of Neurology, MaxPlanck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center AdiposityDiseases, Leipzig University Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sebastian Huhn
- Department of Neurology, MaxPlanck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Molecular Systems Biology, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research - UFZ, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Uta Ceglarek
- Institute for Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Annette Horstmann
- Collaborative Research Centre 1052 'Obesity Mechanisms', Leipzig University Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Neurology, MaxPlanck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center AdiposityDiseases, Leipzig University Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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7
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Ferrario CR. Why did I eat that? Contributions of individual differences in incentive motivation and nucleus accumbens plasticity to obesity. Physiol Behav 2020; 227:113114. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
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8
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Kemp LJ, Corbit LH. The role of the response-outcome association in the nature of inhibitory Pavlovian-instrumental transfer in rats. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2020; 74:398-412. [PMID: 32976082 DOI: 10.1177/1747021820963049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Inhibitory stimuli can reduce animals' reward seeking in an outcome-specific manner or outcome-general manner. However, we do not understand the factors that determine which of these effects are produced. To address this, we carried out three experiments which examined whether instrumental training with one or multiple outcomes determined the nature of subsequently observed Pavlovian-instrumental transfer (PIT). Rats underwent Pavlovian training to produce inhibitors and excitors for two outcomes using a feature-negative procedure. In Experiment 1, these stimuli were tested for their effects on a single response trained with one of those outcomes in a PIT procedure. Here, stimuli trained as inhibitors and excitors were found to produce outcome-general effects on reward seeking (in addition to an outcome-specific effect for excitors). In Experiment 2, we trained two responses, one for each of the Pavlovian outcomes, and tested the effect of the stimuli on each response individually. This design also produced outcome-general inhibitory and excitatory PIT effects. Experiment 3 followed the procedure of Experiment 2, except for implementation of a shorter Pavlovian training phase and an additional choice test, where both responses were concurrently available. This procedure produced putative inhibitory effects that were also outcome-general. However, outcome-specific excitatory effects were observed, indicating that the general inhibitory results may not be attributable to the duration of Pavlovian training. Overall, this study suggests that variations in the number of response-outcome contingencies experienced by animals do not readily determine the specificity of putative inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay J Kemp
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Laura H Corbit
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Department of Psychology, The University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
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9
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da Costa RQM, Furukawa E, Hoefle S, Moll J, Tripp G, Mattos P. An Adaptation of Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer (PIT) Methodology to Examine the Energizing Effects of Reward-Predicting Cues on Behavior in Young Adults. Front Psychol 2020; 11:195. [PMID: 32116971 PMCID: PMC7034436 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2019] [Accepted: 01/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
There is growing recognition that much of human behavior is governed by the presence of classically conditioned cues. The Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer (PIT) paradigm offers a way to measure the effects of classically conditioned stimuli on behavior. In the current study, a novel behavioral task, an adaptation of the PIT framework, was developed for use in conjunction with an fMRI classical conditioning task. Twenty-four healthy young adults completed (1) instrumental training, (2) Pavlovian conditioning, and (3) a Transfer test. During instrumental training, participants learned to apply force to a handgrip to win money from slot machines pictured on a computer screen. During Pavlovian conditioning, slot machines appeared with one of two abstract symbols (cues), one symbol was predictive of monetary reward. During the Transfer test, participants again applied force to a handgrip to win money. This time, the slot machines were presented with the Pavlovian cues, but with the outcomes hidden. The results indicated increased effort on the instrumental task, i.e. higher response frequency and greater force, in the presence of the reward-predicting cue. Our findings add to the growing number of studies demonstrating PIT effects in humans. This new paradigm is effective in measuring the effects of a conditioned stimulus on behavioral activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Quimas Molina da Costa
- D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Neurology Department, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Emi Furukawa
- Human Developmental Neurobiology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Sebastian Hoefle
- D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jorge Moll
- D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gail Tripp
- Human Developmental Neurobiology Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, Okinawa, Japan
| | - Paulo Mattos
- D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Institute of Psychiatry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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10
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Different periods of forced abstinence after instrumental learning for food reward of different macronutrient value on responding for conditioned cues and AMPAr subunit levels. Behav Brain Res 2019; 375:112141. [PMID: 31394143 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2019.112141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2019] [Revised: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Food craving can be viewed as an intense desire for a specific food that propagates seeking and consuming behavior. Prolonged forced abstinence from rewarding foods can result in escalated food-seeking behavior as measured via elevated responding for food-paired cues in the absence of the primary reward. Palatable food consumption and food-seeking is associated with changes in the abundance and composition of AMPA receptors in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) but differing results have been reported. The present study examined whether different food types could produce escalated food-seeking behavior after various abstinence periods and whether this was associated with changes in AMPA receptor protein levels. Rats were trained for 10 days to bar press for purified, sucrose, or chocolate-flavored sucrose pellets. Rats were tested at 24 hrs, 7 d or 14 d whereby bar pressing resulted in presentation of cues paired with food but no food reward was delivered. Western blotting was used to determine protein levels of GluR1, GluR1pSer845, and GluR2 in the NAc. Three separate groups were assessed: 1) a group that was trained on the operant task and tested for conditioned responding (tested group); 2) a group that was trained on the operant task but not tested (non-tested group); 3) a group that was neither trained nor tested (control). The purified food group showed a time-dependent elevation in conditioned bar pressing over the 3 abstinence periods. GluR1 AMPAr subunit levels were higher in the purified and sucrose groups tested at 24 hours compared to the non-tested and control values. GluR1 levels subsequently declined at the 7- and 14-day abstinence periods in the purified and sucrose tested and non-tested groups compared to control values. GluR2 and pSer845 Glur1 levels were similar across all groups and abstinence periods. These results show that food-seeking behavior associated with forced abstinence from different food rewards may depend on the macronutrient composition of the food reward or the food type given during the abstinence period. A clear link with AMPAr subunit levels in this model was not established.
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11
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Alarcón DE, Bonardi C. Under the influence of the environment: Children's responding invigorated and biased by predictive cues. J Exp Child Psychol 2019; 191:104741. [PMID: 31809989 DOI: 10.1016/j.jecp.2019.104741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cues that signal motivationally significant consequences can elevate responding and bias choice. A task known as Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) has been used to assess the influence of these cues on independently trained responses and to study the effect of drug-related and food-related cues on behavior in adult populations, but it has not yet been employed in children. This study aimed to develop a simple computer task to study PIT in children. Participants, aged 7-11 years, observed a screen in which different pairings of distinct cartoon images and specific outcomes were presented (images of foods and drinks in Experiment 1 and images of pets in Experiment 2). After this, the participants pressed two keys, each consistently reinforced with one of the two outcomes. Finally, the children pressed both keys in the absence of any outcome, and each cartoon image was presented periodically so that the effect of these cues on behavior could be measured. Experiment 1 showed that the cartoons' presentations biased responding toward the key that was trained with the same outcome as the cartoon being presented, that is, outcome-specific PIT. Experiment 2 replicated this finding and also showed that a cartoon trained with an outcome different from that reinforcing the responses elevated performance of both responses relative to a cartoon that was not paired with any outcome in training, that is, general PIT. These findings are consistent with those reported in the adult population and might be a useful tool to study the early development of maladaptive behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Alarcón
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
| | - Charlotte Bonardi
- School of Psychology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
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12
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Mahlberg J, Seabrooke T, Weidemann G, Hogarth L, Mitchell CJ, Moustafa AA. Human appetitive Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer: a goal-directed account. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2019; 85:449-463. [DOI: 10.1007/s00426-019-01266-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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13
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Vogel V, Dittrich M, Horndasch S, Kratz O, Moll GH, Erim Y, Paslakis G, Rauh E, Steins‐Loeber S. Pavlovian‐to‐instrumental transfer in Anorexia Nervosa: A pilot study on conditioned learning and instrumental responding to low‐ and high‐calorie food stimuli. Eur J Neurosci 2019; 51:1794-1805. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Verena Vogel
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy University of Bamberg Bamberg Germany
| | - Marie Dittrich
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy University of Bamberg Bamberg Germany
| | - Stefanie Horndasch
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health University of Erlangen‐Nuremberg Erlangen Germany
| | - Oliver Kratz
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health University of Erlangen‐Nuremberg Erlangen Germany
| | - Gunther H. Moll
- Department of Child and Adolescent Mental Health University of Erlangen‐Nuremberg Erlangen Germany
| | - Yesim Erim
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy University of Erlangen‐Nuremberg Erlangen Germany
| | - Georgios Paslakis
- Department of Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy University of Erlangen‐Nuremberg Erlangen Germany
| | | | - Sabine Steins‐Loeber
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy University of Bamberg Bamberg Germany
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14
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Hinojosa-Aguayo I, González F. Affect-driven impulsivity impairs human action control and selection, as measured through Pavlovian instrumental transfer and outcome devaluation. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2019; 73:537-554. [PMID: 31590606 DOI: 10.1177/1747021819883963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Two experiments were designed to study the role of emotional impulsiveness in action control and selection, involving healthy young women participants. In Experiment 1, the effects of both outcome devaluation and Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) were assessed on instrumental responding. In Experiment 2, we further explored the effect of outcome devaluation on outcome-specific PIT. The role of emotional impulsivity, specifically negative urgency (NU), was also evaluated in both experiments using a self-reported measure (UPPS-P scale, Spanish short version). Experiment 1 showed both outcome devaluation and outcome-specific PIT effects, which were positively inter-correlated and negatively correlated with scores in NU. Experiment 2 found an effect of outcome devaluation on outcome-specific PIT, which was negatively correlated with scores on NU. These results highlight the relevance of considering individual differences in affect-driven impulsivity, specifically NU, when addressing failures in action control and selection (proneness to habit). Moreover, these findings suggest that, at least with the procedure used in these experiments, outcome-specific PIT may be based on a goal-directed process that is under the participant's control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Hinojosa-Aguayo
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.,Mind, Brain, and Behaviour Research Centre (CIMCYC), Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Felisa González
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain.,Mind, Brain, and Behaviour Research Centre (CIMCYC), Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
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15
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Kolnes M, Naar R, Allik J, Uusberg A. Does goal congruence dilate the pupil over and above goal relevance? Neuropsychologia 2019; 134:107217. [PMID: 31580878 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2019.107217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Revised: 09/26/2019] [Accepted: 09/27/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
To better understand the mechanisms underlying preferential processing of affective stimuli (i.e., affective attention), it is useful to ask which appraisal dimensions characterize stimuli that capture affective attention. Viewed from such appraisal perspective, most accounts of affective attention predict that the appraisal of goal relevance (i.e. the overall relevance of a stimulus/event to one's current goals) should attract attention whereas some accounts also implicate the appraisal of goal congruence (i.e. the value of the stimulus with respect to these goals). We compared these accounts by investigating independent effects of goal relevance and goal congruence on attention capture operationalized through pupil dilation. Forty-seven participants completed a modified Monetary Incentive Delay task (MID) where they sought to maximize the amount of chocolate received at the end of the experiment, pupil data from forty-two participants were used in the final analysis. Implicating attention capture by goal relevance, we found that pupil size was increased by all win- and loss-related compared to neutral stimuli and by materialized wins and losses compared to non-materialized ones. By contrast, we did not find pupil dilation effects of goal congruence across three different operationalizations of this appraisal dimension. These findings suggest that goal congruence appraisal may not contribute to the aspects of affective attention reflected in pupil dilation over and above goal relevance appraisal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Kolnes
- Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Näituse 2, 50409, Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Richard Naar
- Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Näituse 2, 50409, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Jüri Allik
- Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Näituse 2, 50409, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Andero Uusberg
- Institute of Psychology, University of Tartu, Näituse 2, 50409, Tartu, Estonia
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16
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Eder AB, Dignath D. Expected Value of Control and the Motivational Control of Habitual Action. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1812. [PMID: 31456715 PMCID: PMC6700681 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A hallmark of habitual actions is that, once they are established, they become insensitive to changes in the values of action outcomes. In this article, we review empirical research that examined effects of posttraining changes in outcome values in outcome-selective Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) tasks. This review suggests that cue-instigated action tendencies in these tasks are not affected by weak and/or incomplete revaluation procedures (e.g., selective satiety) and substantially disrupted by a strong and complete devaluation of reinforcers. In a second part, we discuss two alternative models of a motivational control of habitual action: a default-interventionist framework and expected value of control theory. It is argued that the default-interventionist framework cannot solve the problem of an infinite regress (i.e., what controls the controller?). In contrast, expected value of control can explain control of habitual actions with local computations and feedback loops without (implicit) references to control homunculi. It is argued that insensitivity to changes in action outcomes is not an intrinsic design feature of habits but, rather, a function of the cognitive system that controls habitual action tendencies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas B. Eder
- Department of Psychology, Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - David Dignath
- Department of Psychology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
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17
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Jeffs S, Duka T. Single-response appetitive Pavlovian to instrumental transfer is suppressed by aversive counter-conditioning. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2019; 72:2820-2832. [DOI: 10.1177/1747021819862996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Environmental stimuli, when paired with reward, can influence behaviour in maladaptive ways, for example, by encouraging overeating or addiction. Such behaviour can be sensitive to reward value manipulations, under circumscribed conditions, but whether reward-seeking is also sensitive to stimulus value manipulations remains unclear. Thus, the current experiment investigated whether reducing the hedonic value of a reward-paired stimulus would reduce reward-seeking behaviour. In total, 36 participants successfully completed a single-response Pavlovian-instrumental transfer (PIT) task with a counter-conditioning procedure. The Pavlovian phase associated three conditioned stimuli (CSs) with money at 100%, 50%, or 0% contingency. Counter-conditioning then followed for the experimental group, who saw the 100% CS paired with unpleasant pictures, while the control group saw only neutral images. Instrumental training required participants to learn a button-pressing response to win money. The transfer phase contrasted instrumental responding during baseline and CS presentation. Both experimental and control groups liked the 100% CS more than the other CSs after Pavlovian training, but counter-conditioning reduced this 100% CS liking. In transfer, the experimental group showed an abolition of appetitive PIT, while the control group showed maintenance of appetitive PIT. However, this group difference was only evident in response vigour, not response initiation. In summary, CS hedonic value influences cue-potentiated instrumental responding. More specifically, hedonic value of a reward-paired cue influences the vigour of instrumental responses, but not the decision to initiate a response. These data may have relevance to smoking cessation policies, where the introduction of health warnings may be viewed as a real-world example of counter conditioning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen Jeffs
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
| | - Theodora Duka
- School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
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18
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Thrailkill EA, Ameden WC, Bouton ME. Resurgence in humans: Reducing relapse by increasing generalization between treatment and testing. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY. ANIMAL LEARNING AND COGNITION 2019; 45:338-349. [PMID: 31033312 PMCID: PMC6724707 DOI: 10.1037/xan0000209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Resurgence is the increase in performance of an extinguished instrumental (operant) response that accompanies the extinction of a response that has been reinforced to replace it. Resurgence may involve processes that are relevant for understanding relapse in applied and clinical settings. While resurgence is known to be a robust phenomenon in human operant extinction, the processes that control it remain unclear. Here we asked whether human resurgence is controlled by processes that are similar to those that have been identified in animals by asking whether two methods that reduce resurgence in animals also reduce it in humans. Participants first learned to make an operant response (R1) for a tangible food reinforcer (O1). In a second phase (Phase 2), R1 was extinguished while a second response (R2) was introduced and reinforced with a virtual monetary reward (USD $0.10 coins; O2). In a test phase, extinction was then introduced for R2 and resurgence of R1 was assessed. In Experiment 1, resurgence that occurred after the treatment just described was attenuated if there had been periodic exposure to R2 extinction during the treatment phase (Phase 2). In Experiment 2, resurgence was prevented when O2, but not O1, was presented noncontingently during the test. The results are among the first to suggest a mechanism underlying resurgence in humans, namely, renewal caused by contextual change. They also provide initial evidence to suggest that resurgence may be the result of common processes in animals and humans. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
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19
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Watson P, Wiers RW, Hommel B, de Wit S. Motivational sensitivity of outcome-response priming: Experimental research and theoretical models. Psychon Bull Rev 2018; 25:2069-2082. [PMID: 29468416 PMCID: PMC6267533 DOI: 10.3758/s13423-018-1449-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Outcome-response (O-R) priming is at the core of various associative theories of human intentional action. This is a simple and parsimonious mechanism by which activation of outcome representations (e.g. thinking about the light coming on) leads to activation of the associated motor patterns required to achieve it (e.g. pushing the light switch). In the current manuscript, we review the evidence for such O-R associative links demonstrated by converging (yet until now, separate) strands of research. While there is a wealth of evidence that both the perceptual and motivational properties of an outcome can be encoded in the O-R association and mediate O-R priming, we critically examine the integration of these mechanisms and the conditions under which motivational factors constrain the sensory O-R priming effect. We discuss the clinical relevance of this O-R priming mechanism, whether it can satisfactorily account for human goal-directed behaviour, and the implications for theories of human action control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poppy Watson
- ADAPT lab, Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Habit Lab, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 129-B, 1018 WS, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Reinout W Wiers
- ADAPT lab, Department of Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Bernhard Hommel
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Sanne de Wit
- Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
- Habit Lab, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 129-B, 1018 WS, Amsterdam, Netherlands.
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20
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Incubation of feeding behavior is regulated by neuromedin U receptor 2 in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus. Behav Brain Res 2018; 359:763-770. [PMID: 30227148 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2018] [Revised: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
A diet of energy-dense food, characterized mainly as a high-fat diet, leads to a persistent excessive consumption defined as overeating. According to the National Institute of Health, more than 2 in 3 adults in the United States are overweight or obese, straining our healthcare system with epidemic proportions. Diets that include abstaining from high-fat foods, ironically, result in an increase in motivation and craving for said high-fat foods, defined as an incubation effect because the behavior aids in developing overeating. Previously, we have shown that modulation of neuromedin U receptor 2 (NMUR2) in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) results in increased food intake and motivation for energy-dense foods. Here, we continue our focus on NMUR2 in the PVN, but in relation to the incubation effect on craving for high-fat food. We employed a model for incubation of craving by having rats abstain from high-fat foods for 30 days before undergoing intake of fatty food on fixed ratio and progressive ratio schedules of reinforcement, and then assess their response to reactivity to cues. Using this model, we compared the feeding behaviors of rats that underwent an mRNA knockdown of the NMUR2 in the PVN to controls after both underwent a 30-day abstinence from high-fat foods. Our results show knockdown of NMUR2 in the PVN blocks the incubation of feeding behavior for food-related cues and high-fat foods.
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21
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Seabrooke T, Wills AJ, Hogarth L, Mitchell CJ. Automaticity and cognitive control: Effects of cognitive load on cue-controlled reward choice. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2018; 72:1507-1521. [DOI: 10.1177/1747021818797052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The extent to which human outcome–response (O-R) priming effects are automatic or under cognitive control is currently unclear. Two experiments tested the effect of cognitive load on O-R priming to shed further light on the debate. In Experiment 1, two instrumental responses earned beer and chocolate points in an instrumental training phase. Instrumental response choice was then tested in the presence of beer, chocolate, and neutral stimuli. On test, a Reversal instruction group was told that the stimuli signalled which response would not be rewarded. The transfer test was also conducted under either minimal (No Load) or considerable (Load) cognitive load. The Non-Reversal groups showed O-R priming effects, where the reward cues increased the instrumental responses that had previously produced those outcomes, relative to the neutral stimulus. This effect was observed even under cognitive load. The Reversal No Load group demonstrated a reversed effect, where response choice was biased towards the response that was most likely to be rewarded according to the instruction. Most importantly, response choice was at chance in the Reversal Load condition. In Experiment 2, cognitive load abolished the sensitivity to outcome devaluation that was otherwise seen when multiple outcomes and responses were cued on test. Collectively, the results demonstrate that complex O-R priming effects are sensitive to cognitive load, whereas the very simple, standard O-R priming effect is more robust.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andy J Wills
- School of Psychology, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK
| | - Lee Hogarth
- School of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
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22
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De Tommaso M, Mastropasqua T, Turatto M. Working for beverages without being thirsty: Human Pavlovian-instrumental transfer despite outcome devaluation. LEARNING AND MOTIVATION 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lmot.2018.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
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23
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Alarcón DE, Bonardi C, Delamater AR. Associative mechanisms involved in specific Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer in human learning tasks. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2018; 71:1607-1625. [PMID: 28612645 PMCID: PMC6193757 DOI: 10.1080/17470218.2017.1342671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Four experiments compared the effect of forward and backward conditioning procedures on the ability of conditioned stimuli (CS) to elevate instrumental responding in a Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) task. Two responses were each trained with one distinct outcome (R1->O1, R2->O2), either concurrently (Experiment 1) or separately (Experiments 2, 3 and 4). Then, in Experiments 1 and 2, four CSs were either followed or preceded by one outcome (A->O1, B->O2, O1->C, O2->D). In Experiment 3, each CS was preceded and followed by an outcome: for one group of participants, both outcomes were identical (e.g., O1->A->O1, O2->B->O2), but for the other, they were different (e.g., O1->A->O2, O2->B->O1). In Experiment 4, two CSs were preceded and followed by identical outcomes, and two CSs by different outcomes. In the PIT tests, participants performed R1 and R2 in the presence and absence of the CSs. In Experiments 1 and 2, only the CSs followed by outcomes in Pavlovian training elevated responding. In Experiments 3 and 4, all the CSs elevated responding but based on the outcome that followed them in training. These results support the stimulus-outcome-response (S-O-R) mechanism of specific PIT, according to which CSs elevate responding via activation of its associated outcome representation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel E Alarcón
- Department of Psychology, Brooklyn College and The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, USA
| | | | - Andrew R Delamater
- Department of Psychology, Brooklyn College and The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, USA
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24
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Leigh SJ, Lee F, Morris MJ. Hyperpalatability and the Generation of Obesity: Roles of Environment, Stress Exposure and Individual Difference. Curr Obes Rep 2018; 7:6-18. [PMID: 29435959 DOI: 10.1007/s13679-018-0292-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW This review investigates how exposure to palatable food and its associated cues alters appetite regulation and feeding behaviour to drive overeating and weight gain. RECENT FINDINGS Both supraphysiological and physiological feeding systems are affected by exposure to palatable foods and its associated cues. Preclinical research, largely using rodents, has demonstrated that palatable food modulates feeding-related neural systems and food-seeking behaviour by recruiting the mesolimbic reward pathway. This is supported by studies in adolescents which have shown that mesolimbic activity in response to palatable food cues and consumption predicts future weight gain. Additionally, stress exposure, environmental factors and individual susceptibility have been shown to modulate the effects of highly palatable foods on behaviour. Further preclinical research using free-choice diets modelling the modern obesogenic environment is needed to identify how palatable foods drive overeating. Moreover, future clinical research would benefit from more appropriate quantification of palatability, making use of rating systems and surveys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah-Jane Leigh
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Frances Lee
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
| | - Margaret J Morris
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.
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25
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Horstmann A. It wasn't me; it was my brain – Obesity-associated characteristics of brain circuits governing decision-making. Physiol Behav 2017; 176:125-133. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2016] [Revised: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 04/02/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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26
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Watson P, Wiers RW, Hommel B, Gerdes VEA, de Wit S. Stimulus Control Over Action for Food in Obese versus Healthy-weight Individuals. Front Psychol 2017; 8:580. [PMID: 28450844 PMCID: PMC5389979 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
In the current study we examined an associative learning mechanism by which food cues (signaling low- versus high-calorie food) can bias instrumental responses directed toward those foods. To investigate the clinical relevance of this mechanism, we used a computerized Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer task and compared performance of 19 severely obese individuals to that of 19 healthy-weight controls matched for age, education and gender. During the response-priming test we exposed participants to both food pictures and to Pavlovian cues predictive of those food pictures, and examined their biasing effect on instrumental choice. As expected, obese participants showed higher priming rates for palatable, high-calorie foods (potato chips and chocolate) relative to low-calorie foods (lettuce and courgette) whereas healthy-weight individuals did not show a difference between priming rates for these two food types. We also included various measures of impulsivity as well as a slips-of-action task designed to investigate the balance between goal-directed and habitual behavioral control in these two groups. We did not find any evidence of increased impulsivity or reliance on a habitual strategy during the slips-of-action task, in obese participants. General Scientific Summary: Our environment is full of cues signaling the availability of tasty, but often unhealthy, foods. This study suggests that severely obese individuals are particularly sensitive to high-calorie food cues whereas low-calorie food cues have little effect on their behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poppy Watson
- ADAPT Lab, Department of Developmental Psychology, University of AmsterdamAmsterdam, Netherlands.,Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of AmsterdamAmsterdam, Netherlands.,Habit Lab, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of AmsterdamAmsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Reinout W Wiers
- ADAPT Lab, Department of Developmental Psychology, University of AmsterdamAmsterdam, Netherlands.,Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of AmsterdamAmsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Bernhard Hommel
- Cognitive Psychology Unit, Leiden UniversityLeiden, Netherlands.,Leiden Institute for Brain and CognitionLeiden, Netherlands
| | - Victor E A Gerdes
- Department of Internal Medicine, MC SlotervaartAmsterdam, Netherlands.,Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical CenterAmsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Sanne de Wit
- Amsterdam Brain and Cognition, University of AmsterdamAmsterdam, Netherlands.,Habit Lab, Department of Clinical Psychology, University of AmsterdamAmsterdam, Netherlands
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27
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Lehner R, Balsters JH, Bürgler A, Hare TA, Wenderoth N. Food-Predicting Stimuli Differentially Influence Eye Movements and Goal-Directed Behavior in Normal-Weight, Overweight, and Obese Individuals. Front Psychiatry 2017; 8:230. [PMID: 29180968 PMCID: PMC5693873 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2017.00230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Accepted: 10/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Obese individuals have been shown to exhibit abnormal sensitivity to rewards and reward-predicting cues as for example food-associated cues frequently used in advertisements. It has also been shown that food-associated cues can increase goal-directed behavior but it is currently unknown, whether this effect differs between normal-weight, overweight, and obese individuals. Here, we investigate this question by using a Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT) task in normal-weight (N = 20), overweight (N = 17), and obese (N = 17) individuals. Furthermore, we applied eye tracking during Pavlovian conditioning to measure the participants' conditioned response as a proxy of the incentive salience of the predicted reward. Our results show that the goal-directed behavior of overweight individuals was more strongly influenced by food-predicting cues (i.e., stronger PIT effect) than that of normal-weight and obese individuals (p < 0.001). The weight groups were matched for age, gender, education, and parental education. Eye movements during Pavlovian conditioning also differed between weight categories (p < 0.05) and were used to categorize individuals based on their fixation style into "high eye index" versus "low eye index" as well. Our main finding was that the fixation style exhibited a complex interaction with the weight category. Furthermore, we found that normal-weight individuals of the group "high eye index" had higher body mass index within the healthy range than individuals of the group "low eye index" (p < 0.001), but this relationship was not found within in the overweight or obese groups (p > 0.646). Our findings are largely consistent with the incentive sensitization theory predicting that overweight individuals are more susceptible to food-related cues than normal-weight controls. However, this hypersensitivity might be reduced in obese individuals, possibly due to habitual/compulsive overeating or differences in reward valuation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rea Lehner
- Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zurich, University of Zurich, University and Balgrist Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Joshua H Balsters
- Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Department of Psychology, Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, United Kingdom
| | - Alexandra Bürgler
- Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Todd A Hare
- Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zurich, University of Zurich, University and Balgrist Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Laboratory for Social and Neural Systems Research, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Nicole Wenderoth
- Neural Control of Movement Laboratory, Department of Health Science and Technology, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Neuroscience Center Zurich, ETH Zurich, University of Zurich, University and Balgrist Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Movement Control and Neuroplasticity Research Group, Department of Kinesiology, Biomedical Sciences Group, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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28
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Cartoni E, Balleine B, Baldassarre G. Appetitive Pavlovian-instrumental Transfer: A review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 71:829-848. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2016] [Revised: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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29
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Bezzina L, Lee JC, Lovibond PF, Colagiuri B. Extinction and renewal of cue-elicited reward-seeking. Behav Res Ther 2016; 87:162-169. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brat.2016.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2016] [Revised: 09/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/19/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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30
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Darling RA, Dingess PM, Schlidt KC, Smith EM, Brown TE. Incubation of food craving is independent of macronutrient composition. Sci Rep 2016; 6:30900. [PMID: 27485660 PMCID: PMC4971517 DOI: 10.1038/srep30900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 07/10/2016] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cues previously paired with rewarding stimuli induce a time-dependent increase in the motivational craving state (incubation of craving). Whether there is an increase in craving for high-fat (HF) food over time, which may contribute to overeating and obesity, has not been determined. We hypothesized that cues paired with HF pellets would elicit a greater incubation of craving effect than those paired with standard chow (SC) pellets. Rats exposed to cues associated with either HF or SC pellets demonstrated equivalent levels of craving over an abstinence period of 30 days. Diet preference tests between SC pellets and LabDiet revealed that SC pellets were preferred over LabDiet. Rats reared on SC pellets exclusively, did not display incubation of craving for SC pellets, suggesting that prior history with the food plays an important role in cue-induced seeking behavior. Results identified cues previously associated with food undergo a comparable magnitude of incubation of craving. When ingestive behavior was measured after 30 days of abstinence, rats significantly increased their consumption of HF pellets. Our results indicate that food cues gain importance over time, trigger increased approach behaviors, and increased consumption of HF food following abstinence. This may contribute to overeating and the development of obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Paige M Dingess
- University of Wyoming, Neuroscience Program, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Kevin C Schlidt
- University of Wyoming, Neuroscience Program, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Erin M Smith
- University of Wyoming, School of Pharmacy, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
| | - Travis E Brown
- University of Wyoming, Neuroscience Program, Laramie, WY 82071, USA.,University of Wyoming, School of Pharmacy, Laramie, WY 82071, USA
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Eder AB, Dignath D. Asymmetrical effects of posttraining outcome revaluation on outcome-selective Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer of control in human adults. LEARNING AND MOTIVATION 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.lmot.2016.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Eder AB, Dignath D. Cue-elicited food seeking is eliminated with aversive outcomes following outcome devaluation. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2016; 69:574-88. [DOI: 10.1080/17470218.2015.1062527] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
In outcome-selective Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer (PIT), stimuli that are predictive of specific outcomes prime instrumental responses that are associated with these outcomes. Previous human studies yielded mixed evidence in respect to whether the PIT effect is affected by a posttraining devaluation of an outcome, with the PIT effect being preserved after a devaluation of a primary reinforcer (food, drugs) but not following the devaluation of a secondary reinforcer (money). The present research examined whether outcome-selective transfer is eliminated when the devaluation of a primary (liquid) reinforcer is strong and aversive. Experiment 1 confirmed these expectations following a devaluation with bad tasting Tween 20. However, outcome-selective transfer was still observed when the earned (devalued) outcome was not consumed immediately after each test (Experiment 2). These results suggest that the capacity of a Pavlovian cue to motivate a specific response is affected by the incentive value of the shared outcome only when the devaluation yields an aversive outcome that is consumed immediately.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas B. Eder
- Department of Psychology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - David Dignath
- Department of Psychology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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Corbit LH, Janak PH. Changes in the Influence of Alcohol-Paired Stimuli on Alcohol Seeking across Extended Training. Front Psychiatry 2016; 7:169. [PMID: 27777560 PMCID: PMC5056168 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2016.00169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2016] [Accepted: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous work has demonstrated that goal-directed control of alcohol-seeking and other drug-related behaviors is reduced following extended self-administration and drug exposure. Here, we examined how the magnitude of stimulus influences on responding changes across similar training and drug exposure. Rats self-administered alcohol or sucrose for 2 or 8 weeks. Previous work has shown that 8 weeks, but not 2 weeks of self-administration produces habitual alcohol seeking. Next, all animals received equivalent Pavlovian conditioning sessions where a discrete stimulus predicted the delivery of alcohol or sucrose. Finally, the impact of the stimuli on ongoing instrumental responding was examined in a Pavlovian-instrumental transfer (PIT) test. While a significant PIT effect was observed following 2 weeks of either alcohol or sucrose self-administration, the magnitude of this effect was greater following 8 weeks of training. The specificity of the PIT effect appeared unchanged by extended training. While it is well established that evaluation of the outcome of responding contributes less to behavioral control following extended training and/or drug exposure, our data indicate that reward-predictive stimuli have a stronger contribution to responding after extended training. Together, these findings provide insight into the factors that control behavior after extended drug use, which will be important for developing effective methods for controlling and ideally reducing these behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura H Corbit
- School of Psychology, The University of Sydney , Sydney, NSW , Australia
| | - Patricia H Janak
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Krieger School of Arts and Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Watson P, Wiers R, Hommel B, Ridderinkhof K, de Wit S. An associative account of how the obesogenic environment biases adolescents' food choices. Appetite 2016; 96:560-571. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2015.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2015] [Revised: 10/05/2015] [Accepted: 10/07/2015] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Lovibond PF, Satkunarajah M, Colagiuri B. Extinction Can Reduce the Impact of Reward Cues on Reward-Seeking Behavior. Behav Ther 2015; 46:432-8. [PMID: 26163708 DOI: 10.1016/j.beth.2015.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2014] [Revised: 03/20/2015] [Accepted: 03/26/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Reward-associated cues are thought to promote relapse after treatment of appetitive disorders such as drug-taking, binge eating, and gambling. This process has been modelled in the laboratory using a Pavlovian-instrumental transfer (PIT) design in which Pavlovian cues facilitate instrumental reward-directed action. Attempts to reduce facilitation by cue exposure (extinction) have produced mixed results. We tested the effect of extinction in a recently developed PIT procedure using a natural reward, chocolate, in human participants. Facilitation of instrumental responding was only observed in participants who were aware of the Pavlovian contingencies. Pavlovian extinction successfully reduced, but did not completely eliminate, expectancy of reward and facilitation of instrumental responding. The results indicate that exposure can reduce the ability of cues to promote reward-directed behavior in the laboratory. However, the residual potency of extinguished cues means that additional active strategies may be needed in clinical practice to train patients to resist the impact of these cues in their environment.
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