The Prefrontal Cortex and Obesity: A Health Neuroscience Perspective

Cassandra J Lowe; Amy C Reichelt; Peter A Hall

doi:10.1016/j.tics.2019.01.005

The Prefrontal Cortex and Obesity: A Health Neuroscience Perspective

Trends Cogn Sci. 2019 Apr;23(4):349-361. doi: 10.1016/j.tics.2019.01.005. Epub 2019 Feb 26.

Authors

Cassandra J Lowe¹, Amy C Reichelt², Peter A Hall³

Affiliations

¹ BrainsCAN, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada; Brain and Mind Institute, Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada; Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada. Electronic address: clowe3@uwo.ca.
² BrainsCAN, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada; Brain and Mind Institute, Department of Psychology, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada; Robarts Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6A 3K7, Canada; Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Melbourne, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia.
³ School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.

PMID: 30824229
DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2019.01.005

Abstract

In the modern obesogenic environment, limiting calorie-dense food consumption is partially dependent on the capacity of individuals to override visceral reactions to hyperpalatable and rewarding food cues. In the current review, we employ a health neuroscience framework to outline: (i) how individual variations in prefrontal cortical structure and functionality, and by extension, executive functions, may predispose an individual to the overconsumption of appetitive calorie-dense foods via differences in dietary self-regulation; (ii) how obesity may result in changes to cortical structure and functionality; and (iii) how the relationship between the structure and function of the prefrontal cortex and obesity may be best described as reciprocal in nature.

Keywords: cognitive control; diet; executive functions; ingestive behaviour; obesity; prefrontal cortex.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Executive Function* / physiology
Feeding Behavior* / physiology
Humans
Neurosciences
Obesity* / etiology
Obesity* / physiopathology
Prefrontal Cortex* / anatomy & histology
Prefrontal Cortex* / physiology
Self-Control*