title: Effect of insulin sensitivity on corticolimbic responses to food picture in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Insulin is one of several molecules that transmit information about energy balance to the brain. It has been hypothesized that insulin resistance fosters non-homeostatic eating. The objective of the current study was to characterize corticolimbic brain responses to appetitive stimuli in subjects with insulin sensitivities ranging from resistant to normal.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen women diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while viewing pictures of high calorie (HC) foods, low calorie (LC) foods, and control (C) pictures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A region of interest analysis of the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) signal revealed widespread activation within corticolimbic regions in response to food pictures. Activated regions included the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) , insula, nucleus accumbens (NAc), pallidum, ventral tegmental area (VTA), putamen, amygdala, caudate, substantia nigra, hippocampus, pulvinar, and midbrain. Activation of the anterior cingulate, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), and midbrain by HC food pictures (HC - C) and activation of the lateral orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), pallidum, substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area (VTA), pulvinar, and midbrain by LC food pictures (LC - C) was negatively correlated with insulin sensitivity. In contrast, activation of the OFC, DLPFC, insula, hypothalamus, pallidum, substantia nigra, VTA, pulvinar, and midbrain by the HC - LC contrast was positively correlated with insulin sensitivity, whereas activation of the caudate was negatively correlated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association between insulin sensitivity and corticolimbic responses to food pictures may reflect abnormal brain responses to insulin feedback that contribute to the development and or perpetuation of obesity in PCOS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Queen's University, Kingston, Canada. vanvugtd@queensu.ca
authors.forename: Dean A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Van Vugt
authors.forename: Alicja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Krzemien
authors.forename: Hanin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alsaadi
authors.forename: Stephanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Palerme
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Reid
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001066:Appetite / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D031204:Caloric Restriction; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D002755:Choice Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000502:physiology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D059906:Neuroimaging; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism*; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000502:physiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D055815:Young Adult