Stress changes brain activity in inhibition network but doesnt timely binge-eating, contrary to theory.
Stress changes brain activity in self-inhibition locations yet doesnt activate binge-eating, according to new research released in JNeurosci.
Westwater et al. checked this theory by using fMRI to measure the brain activity of females with anorexia, bulimia, or without an eating condition as they completed an inhibitory control job, either while stressed or relaxed. The job entailed pressing a button to stop a moving bar when it reached a particular point on the screen. On some trials the bar stopped early, and the participants had to prevent themselves from pushing the button. Tension altered the brain activity associated with inhibitory control in both groups of ladies with eating conditions but had no effect on task performance– meaning they still had the ability to stop their actions. These outcomes suggest self-inhibition is maintained in the face of stress, so the actual system behind binge-eating is more intricate than previously believed.
Individuals who binge-eat, a hallmark symptom of several consuming disorders, can feel out of control and unable to stop, and typically binge after demanding events. This led researchers to think stress impairs the brain regions responsible for inhibitory control– the capability to stop what you will do or presently doing– and activates binge-eating.
Impaired proactive inhibition in bulimia nervosa is related to increased exceptional frontal gyrus activity. Credit: Westwater et al., JNeurosci 2021
Westwater et al. checked this theory by utilizing fMRI to determine the brain activity of women with anorexia, bulimia, or without an eating disorder as they completed a repressive control task, either while stressed or relaxed. The task entailed pushing a button to stop a moving bar when it reached a particular point on the screen. On some trials the bar stopped early, and the individuals needed to prevent themselves from pushing the button. Stress changed the brain activity connected with inhibitory control in both groups of ladies with eating disorders but had no result on job performance– suggesting they still had the capability to stop their actions. These outcomes indicate self-inhibition is preserved in the face of stress, so the actual system behind binge-eating is more complex than formerly believed.
For more on this research study, read Contrary to Theory, Stress Does Not Lead to Loss of Self-Control in Eating Disorders.
Recommendation: “Prefrontal reactions throughout reactive and proactive inhibition are differentially impacted by tension in anorexia and bulimia nervosa” by Margaret L. Westwater [MPhil], Flavia Mancini [PhD], Adam X. Gorka [PhD], Jane Shapleske [MD], Jaco Serfontein [MD], Christian Grillon [PhD], Monique Ernst [MD, PhD], Hisham Ziauddeen [MRCPsych, PhD] and Paul C. Fletcher [MRCPsych, PhD], 12 April 2021, Journal of Neuroscience.DOI: 10.1523/ JNEUROSCI.2853-20.2021.
