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Higher body weight-dependent neural activation during reward processing

Poster No:

1340 

Submission Type:

Abstract Submission 

Authors:

Maike Richter1, Janik Goltermann2, Lavinia Steinmann1, Anna Kraus2, Susanne Meinert2, Jonathan Repple3, Udo Dannlowski2, Nils Opel1

Institutions:

1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany, 2Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany, 3Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine, and Psychotherapy, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

First Author:

Maike Richter  
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital
Jena, Germany

Co-Author(s):

Janik Goltermann  
Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster
Münster, Germany
Lavinia Steinmann  
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital
Jena, Germany
Anna Kraus  
Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster
Münster, Germany
Susanne Meinert  
Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster
Münster, Germany
Jonathan Repple  
Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine, and Psychotherapy, Goethe University Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Udo Dannlowski  
Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster
Münster, Germany
Nils Opel  
Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital
Jena, Germany

Introduction:

Obesity is associated with alterations in brain structure and function, particularly in areas related to reward processing (García-García et. al, 2014; Opel et. al, 2015). Although brain structural investigations have demonstrated a continuous association between higher body weight and reduced gray matter in well-powered samples (Opel et. al, 2017; Shaw et. al, 2018), functional neuroimaging studies have typically only contrasted individuals from the normal weight and obese body mass index (BMI) ranges with modest sample sizes (García-García et. al, 2014; Han et. al, 2021). It remains unclear, whether the commonly found hyperresponsiveness of the reward circuit can (a) be replicated in well-powered studies and (b) be found as a function of higher body weight even below the threshold of clinical obesity.

Methods:

383 adults across the weight spectrum underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging during a common card-guessing paradigm simulating monetary reward. Multiple regression was used to investigate the association of BMI and neural activation in the reward circuit. In addition, a one-way ANOVA model comparing three weight groups (normal weight, overweight, obese) was calculated.

Results:

Higher BMI was associated with higher reward response in the right (x = 36, y = 18, z = -14; t(379) = 4.66; k = 9; pFWE = 0.007) and left (x = -28, y = 18, z = -4; t(379) = 4.30; k = 3; pFWE = 0.029) insula. This association could no longer be found when participants with obesity were excluded from the analysis. The ANOVA revealed higher activation in the right (x = 34, y = 18, z = -14; t(378) = 4.78; k = 10; pFWE = 0.005) and left (x = -28, y = 20, z = -4; t(378) = 4.29; k = 6; pFWE = 0.033) insula in obese vs. lean individuals, but no difference between lean and overweight participants.
Supporting Image: Figure1Cards.PNG
   ·Figure 1
 

Conclusions:

The overactivation of reward-related brain areas in obesity is a consistent finding that can be replicated in large samples. In contrast to brain structural aberrations associated with higher body weight, the neurofunctional underpinnings of reward processing in the insula appear to be more pronounced in the higher body weight range.

Emotion, Motivation and Social Neuroscience:

Reward and Punishment 2

Modeling and Analysis Methods:

Activation (eg. BOLD task-fMRI) 1

Novel Imaging Acquisition Methods:

BOLD fMRI

Keywords:

ADULTS
FUNCTIONAL MRI
Other - reward processing

1|2Indicates the priority used for review

Provide references using author date format

García-García, I. (2014). Reward processing in obesity, substance addiction and non-substance addiction. Obesity Reviews, 15(11), 853–869.
Han, P. (2021). Increased brain reward responsivity to Food-Related odors in obesity. Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), 29(7), 1138–1145.
Opel, N. (2015). Enhanced neural responsiveness to reward associated with obesity in the absence of food-related stimuli. Human Brain Mapping, 36(6), 2330–2337.
Opel, N. (2017). Prefrontal gray matter volume mediates genetic risks for obesity. Molecular Psychiatry, 22(5), 703–710.
Shaw, M. E. (2018). Body mass index is associated with cortical thinning with different patterns in mid- and late-life. International Journal of Obesity, 42(3), 455–461.