Increased BOLD Signals in dlPFC Is Associated With Stronger Self-Control in Food-Related Decision-Making

Self-control is the ability to comply with a request, to postpone acting upon a desire object or goal, and to generate socially approved behavior in the absence of external monitors. Overeating is actually the failure in self-control while feeding. However, little is known about the brain function that allows individuals to consciously control their behavior in the context of food choice. To address this issue, we used functional MRI to measure brain activity among undergraduate young females. Forty-one undergraduate female students participated in the current study. Subjects underwent the food rating task, during which they rated each food item according to their subjective perception of its taste (from Dislike it very much to Like it very much), its long term effect on health (from very unhealthy to very healthy) and decision strength to eat it (from Strong no to Strong yes). Behavioral results indicate the positive correlation between taste rating and its corresponding decision strength to eat, no matter the food is high caloric or low. Moreover, health ratings of high caloric food was negatively correlated with DEBQ-emotional eating, and taste ratings of high caloric food was positively correlated with DEBQ-external eating. Whole brain analysis of fMRI data indicates that BOLD responses in dlPFC were positively correlated with successful self-control; BOLD responses in midcingulate cortex were positively correlated with failed self-control. This study provided direct evidence that dlPFC was involved in self-control in food-related choice.