The brain’s reward centers in severely obese women continue to respond to food cues even after they have eaten and are no longer hungry, in contrast to their lean counterparts, according to a recent study by a multidisciplinary team at UT Southwestern Medical Center. The study, published recently in Obesity, compared attitudes and the brain activity of 15 severely obese women (those with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 35) and 15 lean women (those with a BMI under 25). MRI images of the study participants were taken before and after a meal. Both groups showed significantly increased activity in the neo- and limbic cortices and midbrain when they were hungry. After eating, however, that brain activity dropped among lean participants while continuing in their obese counterparts. To read more, click here.
