Anterior insula activity regulates the associated behaviors of high fat food binge intake and cue reactivity in male rats

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4 Scopus citations

Abstract

Binge eating episodes are characterized by uncontrollable, excessive intake of food and are associated with binge eating disorder and some subtypes of obesity. One factor thought to contribute to binge episodes is a high level of reactivity to food-associated cues (i.e., cue reactivity). The insula is a neural node poised to regulate both binge eating and cue reactivity because of its prominent role in interpretation of internal and external cues. This work established a positive association between high fat food (HFF) binge intake and cue reactivity in male rats. Furthermore, we demonstrated that activation of the anterior insula suppressed both HFF binge intake and cue reactivity, without altering homeostatic intake of food. We further show that attenuation of HFF binge intake and cue reactivity is not due to decreased food-reward efficacy or deficits in motivation. Together, these data establish a key role for the anterior insula in the control of binge eating related-behaviors and support novel avenues for the treatment of binge eating.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)231-239
Number of pages9
JournalAppetite
Volume133
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 1 2019

Keywords

  • Binge eating
  • Cue reactivity
  • DREADD
  • High fat food
  • Insula

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Psychology
  • Nutrition and Dietetics

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