Subjective craving and event-related brain response to olfactory and visual chocolate cues in binge-eating and healthy individuals

I Wolz, A Sauvaget, R Granero, G Mestre-Bach, M Baño, V Martín-Romera, M Veciana de Las Heras, S Jiménez-Murcia, A Jansen, A Roefs, F Fernández-Aranda*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

High-sugar/high-fat foods are related to binge-eating behaviour and especially people with low inhibitory control may encounter elevated difficulties to resist their intake. Incentive sensitization to food-related cues might lead to increased motivated attention towards these stimuli and to cue-induced craving. To investigate the combined influence of olfactory and visual stimuli on craving, inhibitory control and motivated attention, 20 healthy controls and 19 individuals with binge-eating viewed chocolate and neutral pictures, primed by chocolate or neutral odours. Subjective craving and electroencephalogram activity were recorded during the task. N2 and Late Positive Potential (LPP) amplitudes were analysed. Patients reported higher craving than controls. Subjective craving, N2 and LPP amplitudes were higher for chocolate versus neutral pictures. Patients showed a higher relative increase in N2 amplitudes to chocolate versus neutral pictures than controls. Chocolate images induced significant increases in craving, motivated attention and measures of cognitive control. Chocolate odour might potentiate the craving response to visual stimuli, especially in patients with binge-eating.

Original languageEnglish
Article number41736
Number of pages10
JournalScientific Reports
Volume7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 3 Feb 2017

Keywords

  • TRANSCRANIAL MAGNETIC STIMULATION
  • EMOTION REGULATION
  • ANOREXIA-NERVOSA
  • FOOD
  • VALIDATION
  • DISORDERS
  • EXPOSURE
  • TASTE
  • EEG
  • POTENTIALS

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