Hunger, stress, and excess weight are tightly connected - but now we know even more about this connection.
In a series of groundbreaking experiments, researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to explore the impact of stress on appetite in both obese and lean adults.
Let's find out more!
How weight, hunger and stress are correlated
Published in PLOS ONE, the study examined how stress influenced brain responses to food cues in areas associated with reward and cognitive control.
The study involved 29 adults, including 16 women and 13 men, with 17 classified as obese and 12 as lean.
During two fMRI scans, participants were subjected to a combined social and physiological stress test.
They were then presented with a food word reactivity test during the scans, where they vividly imagined the sensory experience of various foods and assessed their desire for them.
The results were intriguing, showing that obese individuals exhibited reduced activation in cognitive control regions when presented with food words, particularly high-calorie items like grilled cheese.
Stress also played a role, as those with obesity showed increased activation in the orbitofrontal cortex, a brain region linked to reward, after the stress test.
Lean individuals who reported higher stress exhibited decreased activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a key brain area for cognitive control.
Why is it important?
These findings offer valuable insights into the complex relationship between stress, brain activity, and appetite regulation, opening new avenues for addressing overeating and obesity-related issues.
