Neural, Behavioral and Physiological Correlates of Feeding in Humans

Weight gain frequently follows smoking cessation. Fear of weight gain is cited as a key reason not to quit and actual weight gain is a primary reason for relapse, especially among women. Although the causes of weight gain following smoking cessation are complex, increased caloric intake is recognized as one of the primary sources. One explanation for increased caloric intake is that, there are common neural mechanisms for food and cigarette reward and hence food reward can substitute for cigarette reward and vice versa. An alternative explanation for weight gain following smoking cessation is that there is an overall decrease in brain reward function during nicotine withdrawal, which leads to a decrease in the reward value of food and consequent increase in intake to maintain the total amount of reward obtained by food. The success of the proposed studies relies upon our ability to deliver odorants in the fMRI scanner and to measure neural activation in regions such as the amygdala, which are susceptible to inhomogeneity artifacts.

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy
• between the ages of 18-45
• fMRI safe

Exclusion criteria

• outside of the above age range
• not able to have an fMRI (non-removable metal, pacemaker, etc)
• medical diagnosis related to neurological problems, anxiety, psychiatric conditions
• Did not refrain from smoking for the described time in the smoking group, or showed a CO2 level consistent with a smoker in the non-smoking group