A balance of activity in brain control and reward systems predicts self-regulatory outcomes

Richard B Lopez, Pin-Hao A Chen, Jeremy F Huckins, Wilhelm Hofmann, William M Kelley, Todd F Heatherton, Richard B Lopez, Pin-Hao A Chen, Jeremy F Huckins, Wilhelm Hofmann, William M Kelley, Todd F Heatherton

Abstract

Previous neuroimaging work has shown that increased reward-related activity following exposure to food cues is predictive of self-control failure. The balance model suggests that self-regulation failures result from an imbalance in reward and executive control mechanisms. However, an open question is whether the relative balance of activity in brain systems associated with executive control (vs reward) supports self-regulatory outcomes when people encounter tempting cues in daily life. Sixty-nine chronic dieters, a population known for frequent lapses in self-control, completed a food cue-reactivity task during an fMRI scanning session, followed by a weeklong sampling of daily eating behaviors via ecological momentary assessment. We related participants' food cue activity in brain systems associated with executive control and reward to real-world eating patterns. Specifically, a balance score representing the amount of activity in brain regions associated with self-regulatory control, relative to automatic reward-related activity, predicted dieters' control over their eating behavior during the following week. This balance measure may reflect individual self-control capacity and be useful for examining self-regulation success in other domains and populations.

Keywords: dieting; fMRI; individual differences; reward; self-control.

© The Author (2017). Published by Oxford University Press.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Lateral (top left and right) and ventral (bottom) views on an inflated brain surface depicting ROIs in FP (yellow) and reward (green) systems. ROI spheres have been enlarged to 10 mm for better visualization.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Scatter plot of regulation-reward balance scores regressed on percentage of enacted food desires.

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Source: PubMed

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