Scalp recorded direct current (DC) potential shifts associated with food intake in hungry humans.
In humans, eating is assumed to be regulated within a neuronal circuitry integrating hypothalamic "feeding centers" with neocortical regions. Here, DC potentials were recorded in food deprived men to demonstrate a graded tuning of neocortical excitability in conjunction with meal ingestion. In the beginning of food ingestion a pronounced negative DC potential shift developed (P<0.01) which was replaced by a gradual positive potential shift reaching a maximum within 5 min after cessation of food intake (P<0.05). Both negative and positive shifts showed a widespread cortical distribution. The initial negative DC potential presumably reflecting increased depolarisation of apical cortical dendrites, may serve to facilitate eating behavior. The succeeding positivity points to a growing inhibitory influence on cortical processing with increasing satiety that may support termination of meal intake.
Schmitt
B
B
Department of Physiological Psychology, University of Bamberg, Bamberg, Germany.
Mölle
M
M
Marshall
L
L
Hallschmid
M
M
Born
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D004435:Eating / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D004585:Electrooculography; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006815:Hunger / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D012528:Satiety Response / Q000502:physiology; D012881:Skin Temperature / Q000502:physiology