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Recollections about food when hungry and sated
Richard J Stevenson1, Heather M Francis1, Supreet Saluja1
1Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, 2109, Australia.
Appetite
|September 2, 2022
Summary
Satiety cues may alter food memories by increasing reports of fullness, potentially influencing appetite regulation. This study explored how being full affects memory recall of food experiences.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Appetite Regulation
- Memory Research
Background:
- Memory processes are implicated in appetite regulation.
- Animal studies suggest satiety cues inhibit rewarding food memories.
- The role of memory in human appetite control requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if satiety cues influence the content of food-related memories in humans.
- To test the hypothesis that satiety inhibits rewarding food memories.
- To explore the relationship between memory recall and interoceptive signals of fullness.
Main Methods:
- Three studies involving 58, 67, and 50 participants.
- Participants recalled food experiences while hungry and sated.
- Recollections were analyzed for content, sensory details, and affective components.
Main Results:
- No significant differences in recollection time, length, sensory detail, or affect between hungry and sated states.
- Sated recollections showed a significant increase in reports of food "fillingness".
- Increased reports of fillingness correlated with increased reports of stomach distension.
Conclusions:
- Results support the idea that satiety cues are integrated into food memories, potentially inhibiting rewarding aspects.
- An alternative explanation involves the integration of interoceptive satiety cues into memory, forming a "memory-interoception-combination".
- This integration may serve to highlight the consequences of eating when satiated, influencing future eating behavior.
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