Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 18, 2026
Exploring the Neural Correlates of Cognitive Reappraisal in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder Using Task-based Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Published on: March 14, 2025
Altered insula resting-state functional connectivity correlates with impaired cognitive control in children with
Xiaoyi Li1, Shaorui Wang1, Mingyue Xiao1
1Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China; Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Ministry of Education, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; Research Center of Psychology and Social Development, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
Insights
Emotional undereating (EUE) in children is linked to impaired cognitive control. Brain scans reveal differences in prefrontal cortex and insula connectivity in children with high EUE, suggesting a neural basis for this behavior.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Emotional undereating (EUE) is a common childhood behavior in response to negative emotions.
- The underlying causes and neurobiological mechanisms of EUE in children are not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the neurobiological underpinnings of emotional undereating in children.
- To identify potential neural markers associated with cognitive control in EUE.
Main Methods:
- 91 children (aged 9-12) completed the Children Eating Behavior Questionnaire (EUE subscale).
- Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsFC) was performed on all participants.
- A subset of participants (n=43) completed an arrow task, and 78 were followed up after one year.
Main Results:
- Children with high EUE showed fewer errors but longer reaction times on the arrow task, indicating over-control.
- High EUE was associated with decreased rsFC within the prefrontal cortex and altered insula connectivity.
- rsFC between the insula and temporal lobe mediated the relationship between EUE and arrow task performance.
Conclusions:
- Impaired cognitive control is associated with emotional undereating in children.
- Reduced functional connectivity in specific brain regions may represent a stable neural marker for EUE.
- Findings offer insights into the neurobiology of childhood emotional undereating.
Abstract:
Eating less in response to negative emotions, called emotional undereating (EUE), is common in children, but research on the etiology of these behaviors is in its infancy. 91 children (aged 9-12, 46 females) completed EUE subscale of Children Eating Behavior Questionnaire and underwent resting-state fMRI. Of these, 43 participants also completed arrow task and 78 were followed up one year later. Compared to children with low-EUE, those with high-EUE exhibited fewer errors but longer reaction times, indicating over-control and reduced flexibility. Additionally, children with high-EUE revealed decreased resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) within the prefrontal cortex and altered connectivity of insula. Notably, rsFC between the insula and the temporal lobe mediate the relationship between EUE and arrow-task performance at baseline and positively predicted the arrow-task performance one year later. These findings identify a potential stable neural marker of impaired cognitive control in children with EUE and provide new insights into the neurobiological basis of emotional undereating in childhood.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Self-Regulation
01:29The Influence of Cognition on Affect
01:30Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Diagnostic Criteria and Symptoms
To diagnose ADHD, symptoms must manifest before age 12 and be evident across multiple settings....