Reduced Neural Satiety Responses in Women Affected by Obesity. (1st November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gobbi, S.; Weber, S.C.; Graf, G.; Hinz, D.; Asarian, L.; Geary, N.; Leeners, B.; Hare, T.A.; Tobler, P.N.
• Is Part Of: Neuroscience. Volume 447(2020)
• Page Start: 94
• Page End: 112
• Publication Date: 2020-11-01
• Subjects: BMI -- food pleasantness -- reward; Neurochemistry -- Periodicals; Neurophysiology -- Periodicals; Neurology -- Periodicals; Neurochimie -- Périodiques; Neurophysiologie -- Périodiques; Neurochemistry; Neurophysiology; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 612.8
• DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2020.07.022
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0306-4522

Abstract

Highlights: Women with overweight/obesity show alterations in the hedonic and homeostatic systems that regulate normal eating. Hedonic responses are more strongly associated with high ad libitum consumption levels in women with obesity. Neural responses to food rewards are less sensitive to satiety in women with higher BMI. Abstract: Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for a number of chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. Obesity rates are on the rise worldwide with women more frequently affected than men. Hedonic responses to food seem to play a key role in obesity, but the exact mechanisms and relationships are still poorly understood. In this study, we investigate the perceived pleasantness of food rewards in relation to satiety and calories consumed during an ad libitum meal in women. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and a milkshake consumption task, we studied how experienced food values are encoded in women with healthy weight, overweight or obesity. Participants rated the pleasantness and intensity of high and low caloric milkshakes in the fMRI scanner during both the fasted and fed states. We found differences in the neural responses and experienced pleasantness of high and low caloric milkshakes depending on satiety and Body Mass Index (BMI). Women with both high ad libitum consumption levels and high BMI reported greater experienced pleasantness for milkshakes. In contrast, among women with low ad libitum consumption levels, greater BMI was associated with less experienced pleasantness. At the neural level, satiety affected women with obesity to a lesser degree than women with healthy weight. Thus, having obesity was associated with altered relationships between food consumption and the hedonic responses to food rewards as well as reduced satiety effects in women.