title: Increased set shifting costs in fasted healthy volunteers.
abstract: We investigated the impact of temporary food restriction on a set shifting task requiring participants to judge clusters of pictures against a frequently changing rule. 60 healthy female participants underwent two testing sessions: once after fasting for 16 hours and once in a satiated state. Participants also completed a battery of questionnaires (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale [HADS]; Persistence, Perseveration and Perfectionism Questionnaire [PPPQ-22]; and Eating Disorders Examination Questionnaire [EDE-Q6]). Set shifting costs were significantly increased after fasting; this effect was independent of self-reported mood and perseveration. Furthermore, higher levels of weight concern predicted a general performance decrement under conditions of fasting. We conclude that relatively short periods of fasting can lead to set shifting impairments. This finding may have relevance to studies of development, individual differences, and the interpretation of psychometric tests. It also could have implications for understanding the etiology and maintenance of eating disorders, in which impaired set shifting has been implicated.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom; South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Bethlem Royal Hospital, Beckenham, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Heather M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Bolton
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Paul W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Burgess
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Sam J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom; North East London NHS Foundation Trust, Porters Avenue Health Centre, Dagenham, Essex, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Lucy
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Serpell
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D005215:Fasting / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics; D011930:Reaction Time; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult