A pilot study linking reduced fronto-Striatal recruitment during reward processing to persistent bingeing following treatment for binge-eating disorder

Iris M. Balodis, Carlos M. Grilo, Hedy Kober, Patrick D. Worhunsky, Marney A. White, Michael C. Stevens, Godfrey D. Pearlson, Marc N. Potenza

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

50 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective The primary purpose of this study was to examine neurobiological underpinnings of reward processing that may relate to treatment outcome for binge-eating disorder (BED). Method Prior to starting treatment, 19 obese persons seeking treatment for BED performed a monetary incentive delay task during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Analyses examined how the neural correlates of reward processing related to binge-eating status after 4-months of treatment. Results Ten individuals continued to report binge-eating (BEpost-tx) following treatment and 9 individuals did not (NBE post-tx). The groups did not differ in body mass index. The BE post-tx group relative to the NBEpost-tx group showed diminished recruitment of the ventral striatum and the inferior frontal gyrus during the anticipatory phase of reward processing and reduced activity in the medial prefrontal cortex during the outcome phase of reward processing. Discussion These results link brain reward circuitry to treatment outcome in BED and suggest that specific brain regions underlying reward processing may represent important therapeutic targets in BED.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)376-384
Number of pages9
JournalInternational Journal of Eating Disorders
Volume47
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - May 2014
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • binge eating
  • fMRI
  • reward
  • treatment outcome

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Psychiatry and Mental health

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