The oxytocin can weaken the reward signals of high calorie food images

NEW ORLEANS – Obese men who receive oxytocin may benefit from a weakening of brain connections involved in food reward and sensory processing of food image images high in calories, according to the findings presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society.

"Studies consistently show that, in obesity, there is a hyperactivation of reward-related brain circuits in response to the visualization of tasty food images," Liya Kerem, MD, MSc, at a press conference, a pediatric endocrinology researcher at MbadGeneral Hospital for Children and a researcher at Mbadachusetts General Hospital in Boston said. "This hyperactivation of food-motivated brain areas could represent a therapeutic target, and oxytocin could be one of the therapeutic agents."

Kerem and colleagues conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study in 10 overweight or obese men (mean age 31.4 years, mean BMI 28.9 kg / m²) using the badysis of psychophysiological interaction. The study was initiated on the basis of previous research that identified a signal dependent on the level of oxygen in the blood in relation to high calorie food stimuli in the ventral tegmental region – the essential source of the 'brain reward', according to Kerem – in obese men after 24 IU of oxytocin administered nasally.

After the selection, the participants made two visits. they received 24 IU oxytocin after a 10-hour fast at the first visit and a placebo at the second. Participants were shown images of high calorie and low calorie foods, as well as images of household items, one hour after administration. During this period, brain activity was badessed by functional MRI.

In comparison with the placebo, oxytocin helped reduce the connection between the ventral tegmental region and the food-motivated brain areas, such as the insula, the somatosensory cortex, the operculum, the gyrus temporal, amygdala and hippocampus, according to the researchers. Kerem noted that this link was only evident when participants were viewing images of high calorie foods.

"Knowing that overconsumption of high-calorie foods is one of the major factors of obesity, targeting hyperactivation of reward zones with oxytocin can inhibit the behaviors of overconsumption, "said Kerem. "Additional studies are underway to explore the potential role of oxytocin as a therapeutic agent in obesity." – by Phil Neuffer

Reference:

Kerem L et al. OR20-2. Oxytocin significantly reduces the functional connectivity between food-motivated brain areas in overweight and obese men exposed to high-calorie food images. Presented at: the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society; March 23-26, 2019; New Orleans.

Disclosures: Kerem does not report any relevant financial information. Please consult the summary for the relevant financial information of all other authors.