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Snack food as a modulator of human resting-state functional connectivity
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 April 2018
Abstract
To elucidate the mechanisms of how snack foods may induce non-homeostatic food intake, we used resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), as resting state networks can individually adapt to experience after short time exposures. In addition, we used graph theoretical analysis together with machine learning techniques (support vector machine) to identifying biomarkers that can categorize between high-caloric (potato chips) vs. low-caloric (zucchini) food stimulation.
Seventeen healthy human subjects with body mass index (BMI) 19 to 27 underwent 2 different fMRI sessions where an initial resting state scan was acquired, followed by visual presentation of different images of potato chips and zucchini. There was then a 5-minute pause to ingest food (day 1=potato chips, day 3=zucchini), followed by a second resting state scan. fMRI data were further analyzed using graph theory analysis and support vector machine techniques.
Potato chips vs. zucchini stimulation led to significant connectivity changes. The support vector machine was able to accurately categorize the 2 types of food stimuli with 100% accuracy. Visual, auditory, and somatosensory structures, as well as thalamus, insula, and basal ganglia were found to be important for food classification. After potato chips consumption, the BMI was associated with the path length and degree in nucleus accumbens, middle temporal gyrus, and thalamus.
The results suggest that high vs. low caloric food stimulation in healthy individuals can induce significant changes in resting state networks. These changes can be detected using graph theory measures in conjunction with support vector machine. Additionally, we found that the BMI affects the response of the nucleus accumbens when high caloric food is consumed.
- Type
- Original Research
- Information
- CNS Spectrums , Volume 23 , Special Issue 5: Theme: Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder , October 2018 , pp. 321 - 332
- Copyright
- © Cambridge University Press 2018
Footnotes
These authors contributed equally.
We would like to thank all the participants of the study. We would also like to thank the excellent technical support in the Neuroradiology Department of the FAU, as well as Jutta Prade and Marina Sergeeva from the Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology.
This project was supported by the Neurotrition Project by FAU Emerging Fields Initiative.
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