1
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Mathar D, Wiebe A, Tuzsus D, Knauth K, Peters J. Erotic cue exposure increases physiological arousal, biases choices toward immediate rewards, and attenuates model-based reinforcement learning. Psychophysiology 2023; 60:e14381. [PMID: 37435973 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Computational psychiatry focuses on identifying core cognitive processes that appear altered across distinct psychiatric disorders. Temporal discounting of future rewards and model-based control during reinforcement learning have proven as two promising candidates. Despite its trait-like stability, temporal discounting may be at least partly under contextual control. Highly arousing cues were shown to increase discounting, although evidence to date remains somewhat mixed. Whether model-based reinforcement learning is similarly affected by arousing cues remains unclear. Here, we tested cue-reactivity effects (erotic pictures) on subsequent temporal discounting and model-based reinforcement learning in a within-subjects design in n = 39 healthy heterosexual male participants. Self-reported and physiological arousal (cardiac activity and pupil dilation) were assessed before and during cue exposure. Arousal was increased during exposure of erotic versus neutral cues both on the subjective and autonomic level. Erotic cue exposure increased discounting as reflected by more impatient choices. Hierarchical drift diffusion modeling (DDM) linked increased discounting to a shift in the starting point bias of evidence accumulation toward immediate options. Model-based control during reinforcement learning was reduced following erotic cues according to model-agnostic analysis. Notably, DDM linked this effect to attenuated forgetting rates of unchosen options, leaving the model-based control parameter unchanged. Our findings replicate previous work on cue-reactivity effects in temporal discounting and for the first time show similar effects in model-based reinforcement learning in a heterosexual male sample. This highlights how environmental cues can impact core human decision processes and reveal that comprehensive modeling approaches can yield novel insights in reward-based decision processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mathar
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Annika Wiebe
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Deniz Tuzsus
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Kilian Knauth
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jan Peters
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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2
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Duan Y, Zheng M, Wu J, Ma J, Xing X, Ma Z, Li S, Li Y, Xue X, Hua X, Xu J. Cerebral 18 F-fluorodeoxyglucose metabolism alteration of reward- and motivation-related regions in groups of different BMI classifications. Obesity (Silver Spring) 2022; 30:2213-2221. [PMID: 36321272 PMCID: PMC9828716 DOI: 10.1002/oby.23553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study explored the relationship between BMI and regional cerebral glucose metabolism and explicitly detected regions with significant differences in cerebral metabolism using positron emission tomography (PET)/magnetic resonance imaging in the resting state. METHODS Corresponding PET images acquired from 220 participants were sorted into four groups according to Asian BMI standards: underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obesity. Pearson correlation coefficient analysis was performed to assess the association between BMI and standard uptake value. The regional cerebral glucose metabolism was measured in the fasted state. The PET images were analyzed using statistical parameter maps. One-way ANOVA was used to explore differences in the standard uptake value as an indicator of regional cerebral glucose metabolism. RESULTS This study found that lower cerebral glucose metabolism in reward- and motivation-related regions was accompanied by more severe obesity and that regional cerebral glucose metabolism activities were negatively correlated with BMI. In addition, more severe obesity was accompanied by a larger range of areas with significant differences independent of current dietary status. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that the reward and motivation circuits may be a factor regulating energy balance and influencing the degree of obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu‐Jie Duan
- School of Rehabilitation ScienceShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Mou‐Xiong Zheng
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang HospitalShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Jia‐Jia Wu
- Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang HospitalShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Jie Ma
- Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang HospitalShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Xiang‐Xin Xing
- Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang HospitalShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Zhen‐Zhen Ma
- Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Longhua HospitalShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Si‐Si Li
- School of Rehabilitation ScienceShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Yu‐Lin Li
- School of Rehabilitation ScienceShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Xin Xue
- School of Rehabilitation ScienceShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Xu‐Yun Hua
- Department of Traumatology and Orthopedics, Yueyang HospitalShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
| | - Jian‐Guang Xu
- School of Rehabilitation ScienceShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
- Center of Rehabilitation Medicine, Yueyang HospitalShanghai University of Traditional Chinese MedicineShanghaiChina
- Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine Intelligent RehabilitationMinistry of EducationShanghaiChina
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3
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Dan O, Wertheimer EK, Levy I. A Neuroeconomics Approach to Obesity. Biol Psychiatry 2022; 91:860-868. [PMID: 34861975 PMCID: PMC8960474 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2021.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Obesity is a heterogeneous condition that is affected by physiological, behavioral, and environmental factors. Value-based decision making is a useful framework for integrating these factors at the individual level. The disciplines of behavioral economics and reinforcement learning provide tools for identifying specific cognitive and motivational processes that may contribute to the development and maintenance of obesity. Neuroeconomics complements these disciplines by studying the neural mechanisms underlying these processes. We surveyed recent literature on individual decision characteristics that are most frequently implicated in obesity: discounting the value of future outcomes, attitudes toward uncertainty, and learning from rewards and punishments. Our survey highlighted both consistent and inconsistent behavioral findings. These findings underscore the need to examine multiple processes within individuals to identify unique behavioral profiles associated with obesity. Such individual characterization will inform future studies on the neurobiology of obesity as well as the design of effective interventions that are individually tailored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ohad Dan
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Emily K Wertheimer
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Ifat Levy
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Department of Neuroscience, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Wu Tsai Institute, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut.
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4
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Knauth K, Peters J. Trial-wise exposure to visual emotional cues increases physiological arousal but not temporal discounting. Psychophysiology 2022; 59:e13996. [PMID: 35037293 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Humans and many animals devalue future rewards as a function of time (temporal discounting). Increased discounting has been linked to various psychiatric conditions, including substance-use-disorders, behavioral addictions, and obesity. Despite its high intra-individual stability, temporal discounting is partly under contextual control. One prominent manipulation that has been linked to increases in discounting is the exposure to highly arousing appetitive cues. However, results from trial-wise cue exposure studies appear highly mixed, and changes in physiological arousal were not adequately controlled. Here we tested the effects of appetitive (erotic), aversive, and neutral visual cues on temporal discounting in 35 healthy male participants. The contribution of single-trial physiological arousal was assessed using comprehensive monitoring of autonomic activity (pupil size, heart rate, electrodermal activity). Physiological arousal was elevated following aversive and in particular erotic cues. In contrast to our pre-registered hypothesis, steepness of temporal discounting was not significantly affected by emotional cues of either valence. Aversive cues tended to increase decision noise. Computational modeling revealed that trial-wise arousal only accounted for minor variance over and above aversive and erotic condition effects, arguing against a general effect of physiological arousal on temporal discounting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kilian Knauth
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Jan Peters
- Department of Psychology, Biological Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
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5
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Brassard SL, Balodis IM. A review of effort-based decision-making in eating and weight disorders. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2021; 110:110333. [PMID: 33905755 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2021.110333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Effort-based decision-making provides a framework to understand the mental computations estimating the amount of work ("effort") required to obtain a reward. The aim of the current review is to systematically synthesize the available literature on effort-based decision-making across the spectrum of eating and weight disorders. More specifically, the current review summarises the literature examining whether 1) individuals with eating disorders and overweight/obesity are willing to expend more effort for rewards compared to healthy controls, 2) if particular components of effort-based decision-making (i.e. risk, discounting) relate to specific binge eating conditions, and 3) how individual differences in effort and reward -processing measures relate to eating pathology and treatment measures. A total of 96 studies were included in our review, following PRISMA guidelines. The review suggests that individuals with binge eating behaviours 1) are more likely to expend greater effort for food rewards, but not monetary rewards, 2) demonstrate greater decision-making impairments under risk and uncertainty, 3) prefer sooner rather than delayed rewards for both food and money, and 4) demonstrate increased implicit 'wanting' for high fat sweet foods. Finally, individual differences in effort and reward -processing measures relating to eating pathology and treatment measures are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah L Brassard
- Department of Neuroscience, McMaster University, Canada; Peter Boris Center for Addictions Research, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Canada
| | - Iris M Balodis
- Department of Neuroscience, McMaster University, Canada; Peter Boris Center for Addictions Research, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Canada; Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neuroscience, McMaster University, Canada.
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6
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Bickel WK, Freitas-Lemos R, Tomlinson DC, Craft WH, Keith DR, Athamneh LN, Basso JC, Epstein LH. Temporal discounting as a candidate behavioral marker of obesity. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2021; 129:307-329. [PMID: 34358579 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2021.07.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/31/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Although obesity is a result of processes operating at multiple levels, most forms result from decision-making behavior. The aim of this review was to examine the candidacy of temporal discounting (TD) (i.e. the reduction in the value of a reinforcer as a function of the delay to its receipt) as a behavioral marker of obesity. For this purpose, we assessed whether TD has the ability to: identify risk for obesity development, diagnose obesity, track obesity progression, predict treatment prognosis/outcomes, and measure treatment effectiveness. Three databases (Pubmed, PsycINFO, and Web of Science) were searched using a combination of terms related to TD and obesity. A total of 153 papers were reviewed. Several areas show strong evidence of TD's predictive utility as a behavioral marker of obesity (e.g., distinguishing obese from non obese). However, other areas have limited and/or mixed evidence (e.g., predicting weight change). Given the positive relationship for TD in the majority of domains examined, further consideration for TD as a behavioral marker of obesity is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Warren K Bickel
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, USA.
| | | | - Devin C Tomlinson
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, USA; Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Tech, USA
| | - William H Craft
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, USA; Graduate Program in Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Tech, USA
| | - Diana R Keith
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, USA
| | - Liqa N Athamneh
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, USA
| | - Julia C Basso
- Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech Carilion, Roanoke, VA, USA
| | - Leonard H Epstein
- Division of Behavioral Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
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7
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Meemken MT, Horstmann A. Appetitive Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer in Participants with Normal-Weight and Obesity. Nutrients 2019; 11:E1037. [PMID: 31075858 PMCID: PMC6567236 DOI: 10.3390/nu11051037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 05/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Altered eating behavior due to modern, food-enriched environments has a share in the recent obesity upsurge, though the exact mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to assess whether higher weight or weight gain are related to stronger effects of external cues on motivation-driven behavior. 51 people with and without obesity completed an appetitive Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer (PIT) paradigm. During training, button presses as well as presentation of fractal images resulted in three palatable and one neutral taste outcome. In the subsequent test phase, outcome-specific and general behavioral bias of the positively associated fractal images on deliberate button press were tested under extinction. While all participants showed signs of specific transfer, general transfer was not elicited. Contrary to our expectations, there was no main effect of weight group on PIT magnitude. Participants with obesity exhibited higher scores in the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire Disinhibition scale, replicating a very robust effect from previous literature. Individual Restraint scores were able to predict body-mass index (BMI) change after a three-year period. Our data indicate that PIT is an important player in how our environment influences the initiation of food intake, but its effects alone cannot explain differences in-or future development of-individual weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie-Theres Meemken
- IFB Adiposity Diseases, Leipzig University Medical Center, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Annette Horstmann
- IFB Adiposity Diseases, Leipzig University Medical Center, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany.
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.
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8
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Kube J, Mathar D, Horstmann A, Kotz SA, Villringer A, Neumann J. Altered monetary loss processing and reinforcement-based learning in individuals with obesity. Brain Imaging Behav 2019; 12:1431-1449. [PMID: 29285721 PMCID: PMC6290732 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-017-9786-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Individuals with obesity are often characterized by alterations in reward processing. This may affect how new information is used to update stimulus values during reinforcement-based learning. Here, we investigated obesity-related changes in non-food reinforcement processing, their impact on learning performance as well as the neural underpinnings of reinforcement-based learning in obesity. Nineteen individuals with obesity (BMI > = 30 kg/m2, 10 female) and 23 lean control participants (BMI 18.5–24.9 kg/m2, 11 female) performed a probabilistic learning task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), in which they learned to choose between advantageous and disadvantageous choice options in separate monetary gain, loss, and neutral conditions. During learning individuals with obesity made a significantly lower number of correct choices and accumulated a significantly lower overall monetary outcome than lean control participants. FMRI analyses revealed aberrant medial prefrontal cortex responses to monetary losses in individuals with obesity. There were no significant group differences in the regional representation of prediction errors. However, we found evidence for increased functional connectivity between the ventral striatum and insula in individuals with obesity. The present results suggest that obesity is associated with aberrant value representations for monetary losses, alterations in functional connectivity during the processing of learning outcomes, as well as a decresased reinforcement-based learning performance. This may affect how new information is incorporated to adjust dysfunctional behavior and could be a factor contributing to the maintenance of dysfunctional eating behavior in obesity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jana Kube
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. .,IFB Adiposity Diseases, Leipzig University Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany. .,Faculty 5 - Business, Law and Social Sciences, Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, Cottbus, Germany.
| | - David Mathar
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Psychology, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Annette Horstmann
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,IFB Adiposity Diseases, Leipzig University Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sonja A Kotz
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Arno Villringer
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,IFB Adiposity Diseases, Leipzig University Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany.,Clinic of Cognitive Neurology, University Hospital Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany.,Mind & Brain Institute, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-University, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jane Neumann
- Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstraße 1a, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,IFB Adiposity Diseases, Leipzig University Medical Center, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Medical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences, Jena, Germany
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9
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Morys F, Bode S, Horstmann A. Dorsolateral and medial prefrontal cortex mediate the influence of incidental priming on economic decision making in obesity. Sci Rep 2018; 8:17595. [PMID: 30514862 PMCID: PMC6279740 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35834-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Obese individuals discount future rewards to a higher degree than lean individuals, which is generally considered disadvantageous. Moreover, their decisions are altered more easily by decision-irrelevant cues. Here, we investigated neural correlates of this phenomenon using functional MRI. We tested 30 lean and 26 obese human subjects on a primed delay discounting paradigm using gustatory and visual cues of positive, neutral and negative valence to bias their intertemporal preferences. We hypothesised that activation differences in reward-related and behavioural control areas, and changes in connectivity between these areas, would reflect the effect of these cues. Here, obese subjects were more susceptible to priming with negative gustatory cues towards delayed choices as opposed to lean subjects. This was related to lower activity in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during priming. Modulation of functional connectivity between the dlPFC and the ventromedial PFC by the behavioural priming effect correlated negatively with BMI. This might indicate that default goals of obese individuals were different from those of lean participants, as the dlPFC has been suggested to be involved in internal goal pursuit. The present results further our understanding of the role of the PFC in decision-making and might inform future weight-management approaches based on non-invasive brain stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filip Morys
- Leipzig University Medical Centre, IFB Adiposity Diseases, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.,Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stefan Bode
- The University of Melbourne, Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.,Department of Psychology, University of Cologne, 50969, Cologne, Germany
| | - Annette Horstmann
- Leipzig University Medical Centre, IFB Adiposity Diseases, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. .,Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, 04103, Leipzig, Germany. .,Leipzig University Medical Centre, Collaborative Research Centre 1052-A5, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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10
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A Novel Spatiotemporal Longitudinal Methodology for Predicting Obesity Using Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) Cerebral Functional Activity Data. Cognit Comput 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s12559-017-9541-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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11
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Rosenblatt DH, Summerell P, Ng A, Dixon H, Murawski C, Wakefield M, Bode S. Food product health warnings promote dietary self-control through reductions in neural signals indexing food cue reactivity. NEUROIMAGE-CLINICAL 2018; 18:702-712. [PMID: 29564209 PMCID: PMC5859581 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2018.03.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Modern societies are replete with palatable food cues. A growing body of evidence suggests that food cue exposure activates conditioned appetitive physiological and psychological responses that may override current metabolic needs and existing eating goals, such as the desire to maintain a healthy diet. This conditioned response results in unhealthy dietary choices and is a contributing factor in the current obesity epidemic. Prime based obesity prevention measures such as health warnings at point-of-sale or on product packaging may have the potential to counteract the influence of the obesogenic environment at the crucial moment when people make food purchasing or consumption decisions. Existing research into the efficacy of these intervention strategies has predominantly employed self-report and population level measures, and little evidence exists to support the contention that these measures counteract food cue reactivity at the time of decision making. Using a dietary self-control priming paradigm, we demonstrated that brief exposure to food product health warnings enhanced dietary self-control. Further, we analysed electroencephalographic correlates of selective attention and food cue evoked craving (N1, P3, LPP) to show that health warning exposure reduced the automatic appetitive response towards palatable food cues. These findings contribute to existing evidence that exogenous information can successfully prime latent goals, and substantiate the notion that food product health warnings may provide a new avenue through which to curb excessive energy intake and reduce rising obesity rates. Food product health warnings successfully promote dietary self-control. ERP components P3 and LPP sensitive to food characteristics and health warnings LPP amplitudes also directly predict dietary self-control. Health warnings useful to reduce appetitive food responses in obesity prevention
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel H Rosenblatt
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria, Victoria, Australia
| | - Patrick Summerell
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Alyssa Ng
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Helen Dixon
- Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria, Victoria, Australia
| | - Carsten Murawski
- Department of Finance, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Melanie Wakefield
- Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Cancer Council Victoria, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stefan Bode
- Melbourne School of Psychological Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Department of Psychology, University of Cologne, Germany.
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12
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Mathar D, Neumann J, Villringer A, Horstmann A. Failing to learn from negative prediction errors: Obesity is associated with alterations in a fundamental neural learning mechanism. Cortex 2017; 95:222-237. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cortex.2017.08.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Revised: 06/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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13
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Turner WF, Johnston P, de Boer K, Morawetz C, Bode S. Multivariate pattern analysis of event-related potentials predicts the subjective relevance of everyday objects. Conscious Cogn 2017; 55:46-58. [DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2017.07.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Revised: 06/09/2017] [Accepted: 07/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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14
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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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15
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Does a future-oriented temporal perspective relate to body mass index, eating, and exercise? A meta-analysis. Appetite 2017; 112:272-285. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2017.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2016] [Revised: 01/05/2017] [Accepted: 02/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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16
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Stojek MMK, MacKillop J. Relative reinforcing value of food and delayed reward discounting in obesity and disordered eating: A systematic review. Clin Psychol Rev 2017; 55:1-11. [PMID: 28478269 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpr.2017.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2016] [Revised: 02/22/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the food choice decision-making may help identify those at higher risk for excess weight gain and dysregulated eating patterns. This paper systematically reviews the literature related to eating behavior and behavioral economic constructs of relative reinforcing value of food (RRVfood) and delayed reward discounting (DRD). RRVfood characterizes how valuable energy-dense food is to the individual, and DRD characterizes preferences for smaller immediate rewards over larger future rewards, an index of impulsivity. Literature search on PubMed was conducted using combination of terms that involve behavioral economics and dysregulated eating in youth and adults. Forty-seven articles were reviewed. There is consistent evidence that obese youth and adults exhibit higher RRVfood. There is a need for more research on the role of RRVfood in eating disorders, as an insufficient number of studies exist to draw meaningful conclusions. There is accumulating evidence that obese individuals have higher DRD but the study of moderators of this relationship is crucial. Only a small number of studies have been conducted on DRD and binge eating, and no clear conclusions can be made currently. Approximately half of existing studies suggest lower DRD in individuals with anorexia nervosa. Research implications and treatment application are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika M K Stojek
- Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD, USA; Section on Growth and Obesity, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - James MacKillop
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research, McMaster University, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON, Canada; Homewood Research Institute, Guelph, ON, Canada
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McClelland J, Dalton B, Kekic M, Bartholdy S, Campbell IC, Schmidt U. A systematic review of temporal discounting in eating disorders and obesity: Behavioural and neuroimaging findings. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2016; 71:506-528. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2016.09.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2016] [Revised: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 09/23/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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Dietrich A, de Wit S, Horstmann A. General Habit Propensity Relates to the Sensation Seeking Subdomain of Impulsivity But Not Obesity. Front Behav Neurosci 2016; 10:213. [PMID: 27877117 PMCID: PMC5099246 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2016.00213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2016] [Accepted: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
According to dual-system theory, instrumental learning and performance depend on the balance between goal-directed and habitual action control. Overreliance on habits has been argued to characterize clinical conditions such as drug addiction or obsessive-compulsive disorder as well as obesity and excessive impulsivity. A tendency toward habitual action control in obesity has already been indicated in the food domain. However, impairments might not be restricted to eating behavior. This has been suggested by domain-general obesity-associated disturbances in executive function as well as alterations in corticostriatal circuits underlying the goal-directed and habitual systems. In this study we examined the balance of goal-directed and habitual action control in a sample of normal-weight, overweight, and obese participants (n = 105) using the slips-of-action test in a non-food context. We tested for continuous or group-based associations between body weight status (BMI) and the devaluation sensitivity index (DSI), a parameter representing the balance of the goal-directed and habitual systems in action control. As personality differences in the domain of impulsivity might affect this relationship, we also examined whether the interaction between BMI and self-reported impulsivity, based on the UPPS Impulsive Behavior Scale, was related to the DSI. In addition to that, we tested for direct, i.e., weight status independent, relationships between UPPS subdomains of impulsivity and the DSI. We failed to find evidence for a relationship between weight status and sensitivity to devaluation as indexed by the DSI. However, independent of weight status, we observed lower sensitivity to devaluation in sensation seekers, a subtype of impulsivity. To conclude, behavioral flexibility in the sense of disturbances in the balance between the habitual and goal-directed systems seems to be unaffected by weight status in a non-food context. Consequently, stimuli and behavior might not be generally excessively linked in overweight or obesity. However, according to ceiling effects we cannot rule out subtle effects the paradigm was not able to disentangle. Further, future studies are needed to clarify the role of specific subtypes of obesity (e.g., food addiction). The indicated habit propensity in sensation seekers may account for previous reports of weak avoidance behavior and risky decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anja Dietrich
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sanne de Wit
- Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Annette Horstmann
- Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain SciencesLeipzig, Germany; IFB Adiposity Diseases, Leipzig University Medical CenterLeipzig, Germany; Collaborative Research Center A052A5, Leipzig University Medical CenterLeipzig, Germany
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Mühlberg C, Mathar D, Villringer A, Horstmann A, Neumann J. Stopping at the sight of food - How gender and obesity impact on response inhibition. Appetite 2016; 107:663-676. [PMID: 27592420 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2016.08.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2016] [Revised: 08/16/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Recent research indicates that reduced inhibitory control is associated with higher body mass index (BMI), higher food craving and increased food intake. However, experimental evidence for the relationship between response inhibition and weight status is inconsistent and to date has been investigated predominantly in women. In the current study, 56 participants (26 obese, 30 lean; 27 female, 29 male) performed a Food Picture Rating Task followed by a Stop Signal Task where pictures of palatable high or low caloric food or non-food items were presented prior to the Go signal. We further assessed participants' self-reported eating behavior and trait impulsivity as potential factors influencing response inhibition, in particular within the food context. Independent of BMI, women showed significantly higher liking for low caloric food items than men. This was accompanied by shorter Stop Signal Reaction Times (SSRT) after high compared to low caloric food pictures for women, and shorter SSRT in women compared to men for high caloric food. No influence of gender on SSRT was observable outside of the food context. While SSRTs did not differ between obese and lean participants across the three picture categories, we found a moderating effect of trait impulsivity on the relationship between BMI and SSRT, specifically in the high caloric food context. Higher BMI was predictive of longer SSRT only for participants with low to normal trait impulsivity, pointing at a complex interplay between response inhibition, general impulsivity and weight status. Our results support the notion that individuals with obesity do not suffer from diminished response inhibition capacity per se. Rather, the ability to withhold a response depends on context and social norms, and strongly interacts with factors like gender and trait impulsivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph Mühlberg
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Adiposity Diseases, University Hospital Leipzig, Germany; Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences Leipzig, Germany
| | - David Mathar
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Adiposity Diseases, University Hospital Leipzig, Germany; Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences Leipzig, Germany
| | - Arno Villringer
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Adiposity Diseases, University Hospital Leipzig, Germany; Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences Leipzig, Germany; Clinic of Cognitive Neurology, University Hospital Leipzig, Germany; Mind & Brain Institute, Berlin School of Mind and Brain, Humboldt-University Berlin, Germany
| | - Annette Horstmann
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Adiposity Diseases, University Hospital Leipzig, Germany; Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jane Neumann
- Integrated Research and Treatment Center Adiposity Diseases, University Hospital Leipzig, Germany; Department of Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences Leipzig, Germany.
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Amlung M, Petker T, Jackson J, Balodis I, MacKillop J. Steep discounting of delayed monetary and food rewards in obesity: a meta-analysis. Psychol Med 2016; 46:2423-2434. [PMID: 27299672 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291716000866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 177] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND An increasing number of studies have investigated delay discounting (DD) in relation to obesity, but with mixed findings. This meta-analysis synthesized the literature on the relationship between monetary and food DD and obesity, with three objectives: (1) to characterize the relationship between DD and obesity in both case-control comparisons and continuous designs; (2) to examine potential moderators, including case-control v. continuous design, money v. food rewards, sample sex distribution, and sample age (18 years); and (3) to evaluate publication bias. METHOD From 134 candidate articles, 39 independent investigations yielded 29 case-control and 30 continuous comparisons (total n = 10 278). Random-effects meta-analysis was conducted using Cohen's d as the effect size. Publication bias was evaluated using fail-safe N, Begg-Mazumdar and Egger tests, meta-regression of publication year and effect size, and imputation of missing studies. RESULTS The primary analysis revealed a medium effect size across studies that was highly statistically significant (d = 0.43, p < 10-14). None of the moderators examined yielded statistically significant differences, although notably larger effect sizes were found for studies with case-control designs, food rewards and child/adolescent samples. Limited evidence of publication bias was present, although the Begg-Mazumdar test and meta-regression suggested a slightly diminishing effect size over time. CONCLUSIONS Steep DD of food and money appears to be a robust feature of obesity that is relatively consistent across the DD assessment methodologies and study designs examined. These findings are discussed in the context of research on DD in drug addiction, the neural bases of DD in obesity, and potential clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Amlung
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research,McMaster University/St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton,Hamilton,Ontario,Canada
| | - T Petker
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research,McMaster University/St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton,Hamilton,Ontario,Canada
| | - J Jackson
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research,McMaster University/St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton,Hamilton,Ontario,Canada
| | - I Balodis
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research,McMaster University/St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton,Hamilton,Ontario,Canada
| | - J MacKillop
- Peter Boris Centre for Addictions Research,McMaster University/St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton,Hamilton,Ontario,Canada
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