Decreased caudate response to milkshake is associated with higher body mass index and greater impulsivity

Previous investigations consistently report a negative association between body mass index (BMI) and response in the caudate nucleus during the consumption of palatable and energy dense food. Since this response has also been linked to weight gain, we sought to replicate this finding and determine if the reduced response is associated with measures of impulsivity or food reward. Two studies were conducted in which fMRI was used to measure brain response to milkshake and a tasteless control solution. In Study 1 (n=25) we also assessed self-reported impulsivity, willingness to work for food, and subjective experiences of the pleasantness of milkshake taste and aroma. Replicating prior work, we report a negative association between BMI and brain response to milkshake vs. tasteless in the caudate nucleus. The opposite pattern was observed in the ventral putamen, with greater response observed in the 13 overweight compared to the 12 healthy weight subjects. Regression of brain response against impulsivity and food reward measures revealed one significant association: in the overweight but not healthy weight group self-reported impulsivity was negatively associated with caudate response to milkshake. In Study 2 (n=14), in addition to assessing brain response to milkshake and tasteless solutions subjects completed a go/no-go task outside the scanner. As predicted, we identified an inverse relationship between caudate response to milkshake vs. tasteless and failure to inhibit responses on the no-go trials. We conclude that the inverse correlation between BMI and caudate response to milkshake is associated with impulsivity but not food reward. These findings suggest that response to milkshake in the dorsal striatum may be related to weight gain by promoting impulsive eating behavior.