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Grant Details

Grant Number: 5R01CA152062-05 Interpret this number
Primary Investigator: Bechara, Antoine
Organization: University Of Southern California
Project Title: Neurocognitive Mechanisms of Decisions and Impulse Control in Nutrition Behavior
Fiscal Year: 2015


Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project seeks to identify key neural pathways responsible for one's loss of ability to self-control and exert willpower when faced with tempting choices such as drugs. However, given the impracticality of using drugs in a population of adolescents, we will use food cues as a model to examine how calorie-rich food impacts activity within these neural systems. Three key neural systems are hypothesized to contribute to the loss of willpower to resist food, and these same neural systems have been implicated in the willpower to resist drugs: (1) a hyperactive amygdala-striatal (dopamine-dependent) neural system, which promotes cue-induced habitual behaviors; (2) a hypoactive prefrontal cortex neural system, which subserves decision-making and impulse control capacities; and (3) an altered insular cortex function, which responds to homeostatic and interoceptive signals triggered by states of deprivation, or by exposure to environmental cues that elicit craving. The insula translates these interoceptive signals into what subjectively become experienced as an urge, which in turn acts to (1) exacerbate the hypersensivity of the amygdala-striatal system, and (2) weaken the inhibitory function of the prefrontal system. Using BOLD functional magnetic resonance imaging techniques, we will test the hypothesis that high behavioral measures of consumption of foods that are high in fat and sugar, as measured by the Youth/Adolescent Questionnaire (YAQ), will correlate with (1) increased activity in an amygdala-striatal neural system that promotes habitual and impulsive behaviors, and (2) decreased activity in a prefrontal cortex system for decision-making and inhibitory control. We will also test the hypothesis that food deprivation induces an increased activation of the insular cortex with the consequence of exacerbating activity of the habit system, and weakening activity of the prefrontal system. The proposed research is of high public health significance as it advances knowledge for creating novel intervention strategies that are transferrable to the prevention of substance abuse. In particular, the current project is also relevant to cancer prevention as it advances knowledge that promotes healthier eating, avert compulsive eating, and reduce cancer risk behaviors.



Publications

Examining neural reactivity to gambling cues in the age of online betting.
Authors: Damien B. , Guillaume S. , Pierre M. , Joël B. .
Source: Current Behavioral Neuroscience Reports, 2019 Sep; 6(3), p. 59-71.
EPub date: 2019-05-23 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 31396472
Related Citations

Dynamic Causal Modeling of Insular, Striatal, and Prefrontal Cortex Activities During a Food-Specific Go/NoGo Task.
Authors: He Q. , Huang X. , Zhang S. , Turel O. , Ma L. , Bechara A. .
Source: Biological Psychiatry. Cognitive Neuroscience And Neuroimaging, 2019-01-04 00:00:00.0; , .
EPub date: 2019-01-04 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 30691967
Related Citations

Examination of the validity and reliability of the French version of the Brief Self-Control Scale.
Authors: Brevers D. , Foucart J. , Verbanck P. , Turel O. .
Source: Canadian Journal Of Behavioural Science. Revue Canadienne Des Sciences Du Comportement, 2017 Oct; 49(4), p. 243-250.
PMID: 29200467
Related Citations

Social networking sites use and the morphology of a social-semantic brain network.
Authors: Turel O. , He Q. , Brevers D. , Bechara A. .
Source: Social Neuroscience, 2017-09-30 00:00:00.0; , p. 1-9.
EPub date: 2017-09-30 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 28926290
Related Citations

Affective decision-making moderates the effects of automatic associations on alcohol use among drug offenders.
Authors: Cappelli C. , Ames S. , Shono Y. , Dust M. , Stacy A. .
Source: The American Journal Of Drug And Alcohol Abuse, 2017 09; 43(5), p. 534-544.
EPub date: 2016-09-13 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 27624979
Related Citations

Adolescents At Risk For Drug Abuse: A 3-year Dual Process Analysis
Authors: Ames S.L. , Xie B. , Shono Y. , Stacy A.W. .
Source: Addiction (abingdon, England), 2016-12-23 00:00:00.0; , .
PMID: 28010052
Related Citations

Emotional eating and routine restraint scores are associated with activity in brain regions involved in urge and self-control.
Authors: Wood S.M. , Schembre S.M. , He Q. , Engelmann J.M. , Ames S.L. , Bechara A. .
Source: Physiology & Behavior, 2016-10-15 00:00:00.0; 165, p. 405-12.
EPub date: 2016-10-15 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 27575974
Related Citations

Self-regulation interventions to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages in adolescents.
Authors: Ames S.L. , Wurpts I.C. , Pike J.R. , MacKinnon D.P. , Reynolds K.R. , Stacy A.W. .
Source: Appetite, 2016-10-01 00:00:00.0; 105, p. 652-62.
EPub date: 2016-10-01 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 27374899
Related Citations

Leveraging the happy meal effect: Substituting food with modest nonfood incentives decreases portion size choice.
Authors: Reimann M. , Bechara A. , MacInnis D. .
Source: Journal Of Experimental Psychology. Applied, 2015 Sep; 21(3), p. 276-86.
PMID: 26372082
Related Citations

Revisiting the role of the insula in addiction.
Authors: Droutman V. , Read S.J. , Bechara A. .
Source: Trends In Cognitive Sciences, 2015 Jul; 19(7), p. 414-20.
PMID: 26066588
Related Citations

Gray and white matter structures in the midcingulate cortex region contribute to body mass index in Chinese young adults.
Authors: He Q. , Chen C. , Dong Q. , Xue G. , Chen C. , Lu Z.L. , Bechara A. .
Source: Brain Structure & Function, 2015 Jan; 220(1), p. 319-29.
PMID: 24146133
Related Citations

Roles Of The Different Sub-regions Of The Insular Cortex In Various Phases Of The Decision-making Process
Authors: Droutman V. , Bechara A. , Read S.J. .
Source: Frontiers In Behavioral Neuroscience, 2015; 9, p. 309.
PMID: 26635559
Related Citations

The Biggest Loser Thinks Long-term: Recency As A Predictor Of Success In Weight Management
Authors: Koritzky G. , Rice C. , Dieterle C. , Bechara A. .
Source: Frontiers In Psychology, 2015; 6, p. 1864.
PMID: 26696930
Related Citations

Examination of neural systems sub-serving facebook "addiction".
Authors: Turel O. , He Q. , Xue G. , Xiao L. , Bechara A. .
Source: Psychological Reports, 2014 Dec; 115(3), p. 675-95.
PMID: 25489985
Related Citations

Neural correlates of a Go/NoGo task with alcohol stimuli in light and heavy young drinkers.
Authors: Ames S.L. , Wong S.W. , Bechara A. , Cappelli C. , Dust M. , Grenard J.L. , Stacy A.W. .
Source: Behavioural Brain Research, 2014-11-01 00:00:00.0; 274, p. 382-9.
EPub date: 2014-11-01 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 25172182
Related Citations

Inhibitory control effects in adolescent binge eating and consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and snacks.
Authors: Ames S.L. , Kisbu-Sakarya Y. , Reynolds K.D. , Boyle S. , Cappelli C. , Cox M.G. , Dust M. , Grenard J.L. , Mackinnon D.P. , Stacy A.W. .
Source: Appetite, 2014 Oct; 81, p. 180-92.
PMID: 24949566
Related Citations

Poor ability to resist tempting calorie rich food is linked to altered balance between neural systems involved in urge and self-control.
Authors: He Q. , Xiao L. , Xue G. , Wong S. , Ames S.L. , Schembre S.M. , Bechara A. .
Source: Nutrition Journal, 2014-09-16 00:00:00.0; 13, p. 92.
EPub date: 2014-09-16 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 25228353
Related Citations

Decision-making, sensitivity to reward and attrition in weight management.
Authors: Koritzky G. , Dieterle C. , Rice C. , Jordan K. , Bechara A. .
Source: Obesity (silver Spring, Md.), 2014 Aug; 22(8), p. 1904-9.
PMID: 24771588
Related Citations

Functional imaging of an alcohol-Implicit Association Test (IAT).
Authors: Ames S.L. , Grenard J.L. , He Q. , Stacy A.W. , Wong S.W. , Xiao L. , Xue G. , Bechara A. .
Source: Addiction Biology, 2014 May; 19(3), p. 467-81.
PMID: 23822813
Related Citations

Working memory and affective decision-making in addiction: a neurocognitive comparison between heroin addicts, pathological gamblers and healthy controls.
Authors: Yan W.S. , Li Y.H. , Xiao L. , Zhu N. , Bechara A. , Sui N. .
Source: Drug And Alcohol Dependence, 2014-01-01 00:00:00.0; 134, p. 194-200.
EPub date: 2014-01-01 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 24268669
Related Citations

Altered dynamics between neural systems sub-serving decisions for unhealthy food.
Authors: He Q. , Xiao L. , Xue G. , Wong S. , Ames S.L. , Xie B. , Bechara A. .
Source: Frontiers In Neuroscience, 2014; 8, p. 350.
PMID: 25414630
Related Citations

A Triadic Neurocognitive Approach To Addiction For Clinical Interventions
Authors: Noël X. , Brevers D. , Bechara A. .
Source: Frontiers In Psychiatry, 2013-12-27 00:00:00.0; 4, p. 179.
PMID: 24409155
Related Citations

Functional imaging of implicit marijuana associations during performance on an Implicit Association Test (IAT).
Authors: Ames S.L. , Grenard J.L. , Stacy A.W. , Xiao L. , He Q. , Wong S.W. , Xue G. , Wiers R.W. , Bechara A. .
Source: Behavioural Brain Research, 2013-11-01 00:00:00.0; 256, p. 494-502.
EPub date: 2013-11-01 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 24029699
Related Citations

A neurocognitive approach to understanding the neurobiology of addiction.
Authors: Noël X. , Brevers D. , Bechara A. .
Source: Current Opinion In Neurobiology, 2013 Aug; 23(4), p. 632-8.
PMID: 23395462
Related Citations

Processing of time within the prefrontal cortex: recent time engages posterior areas whereas distant time engages anterior areas.
Authors: Koritzky G. , He Q. , Xue G. , Wong S. , Xiao L. , Bechara A. .
Source: Neuroimage, 2013-05-15 00:00:00.0; 72, p. 280-6.
EPub date: 2013-05-15 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 23380168
Related Citations

Processing counterfactual and hypothetical conditionals: an fMRI investigation.
Authors: Kulakova E. , Aichhorn M. , Schurz M. , Kronbichler M. , Perner J. .
Source: Neuroimage, 2013-05-15 00:00:00.0; 72, p. 265-71.
EPub date: 2013-05-15 00:00:00.0.
PMID: 23380169
Related Citations

Is there a recovery of decision-making function after frontal lobe damage? A study using alternative versions of the Iowa Gambling Task.
Authors: Xiao L. , Wood S.M. , Denburg N.L. , Moreno G.L. , Hernandez M. , Bechara A. .
Source: Journal Of Clinical And Experimental Neuropsychology, 2013; 35(5), p. 518-29.
PMID: 23701308
Related Citations

Agency modulates the lateral and medial prefrontal cortex responses in belief-based decision making.
Authors: Xue G. , He Q. , Lu Z.L. , Levin I.P. , Dong Q. , Bechara A. .
Source: Plos One, 2013; 8(6), p. e65274.
PMID: 23762332
Related Citations

Smoking cessation after brain damage does not lead to increased depression: implications for understanding the psychiatric complications of varenicline.
Authors: Tranel D. , McNutt A. , Bechara A. .
Source: Cognitive And Behavioral Neurology : Official Journal Of The Society For Behavioral And Cognitive Neurology, 2012 Mar; 25(1), p. 16-24.
PMID: 22330182
Related Citations

COMT Val158Met polymorphism interacts with stressful life events and parental warmth to influence decision making.
Authors: He Q. , Xue G. , Chen C. , Lu Z.L. , Chen C. , Lei X. , Liu Y. , Li J. , Zhu B. , Moyzis R.K. , et al. .
Source: Scientific Reports, 2012; 2, p. 677.
PMID: 22997551
Related Citations

Poor decision making among older adults is related to elevated levels of neuroticism.
Authors: Denburg N.L. , Weller J.A. , Yamada T.H. , Shivapour D.M. , Kaup A.R. , LaLoggia A. , Cole C.A. , Tranel D. , Bechara A. .
Source: Annals Of Behavioral Medicine : A Publication Of The Society Of Behavioral Medicine, 2009 Apr; 37(2), p. 164-72.
PMID: 19350336
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