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Altered salience network connectivity predicts macronutrient intake after sleep deprivation
Zhuo Fang1, Andrea M Spaeth2, Ning Ma1
1Center for Functional Neuroimaging, Department of Neurology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Scientific Reports
|February 4, 2015
Summary
Sleep deprivation increases fat intake by altering brain connectivity. One night of total sleep deprivation (TSD) led to greater fat consumption and changes in the salience network, linking brain activity to dietary choices.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Nutrition Science
- Sleep Medicine
Background:
- Insufficient sleep is linked to overeating and weight gain.
- The specific brain mechanisms driving increased calorie intake after sleep loss are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neural mechanisms of macronutrient intake changes following total sleep deprivation (TSD).
- To examine how brain connectivity in the salience network is affected by TSD and relates to dietary choices.
Main Methods:
- Utilized resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to assess brain connectivity.
- Analyzed macronutrient intake (percentage of calories from fat and carbohydrates) after one night of TSD and after a night of baseline sleep.
- Correlated brain connectivity changes with dietary intake patterns.
Main Results:
- Participants consumed a higher percentage of calories from fat and lower from carbohydrates after TSD compared to baseline sleep.
- Increased brain connectivity was observed in the salience network, specifically from the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) to the bilateral putamen and bilateral anterior insula (aINS) after TSD.
- Connectivity between dACC-putamen and dACC-aINS correlated with increased fat and decreased carbohydrate intake following TSD.
Conclusions:
- Sleep deprivation alters brain connectivity within the salience network.
- These neural changes provide a potential mechanism linking sleep loss to increased fat consumption and reduced carbohydrate intake.
- Findings highlight the impact of sleep on appetite regulation and dietary preferences.
