Youth at risk for obesity show greater brain activity in response to food
Tuesday, March 22, 2011 - 18:30
in Health & Medicine
In a novel study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), investigators compared the neural response to food and monetary reward in lean adolescents at risk for obesity relative to lean adolescents not at risk for obesity. Results suggest that the initial vulnerability that gives rise to obesity may be elevated rather than blunted sensitivity of the brain's reward circuitry.