The influence of physical activity on neural responses to visual food cues in humans: A systematic review of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies

Abdulrahman M Dera; Tonghui Shen; Alice E Thackray; Elanor C Hinton; James A King; Lewis James; Paul S Morgan; Nathan Rush; Masashi Miyashita; Rachel L Batterham; David J Stensel

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105247

The influence of physical activity on neural responses to visual food cues in humans: A systematic review of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies

Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2023 Sep:152:105247. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105247. Epub 2023 May 25.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, UK; College of Sport Sciences, Jeddah University, Saudi Arabia; National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and University of Leicester, UK.
² National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, UK; National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and University of Leicester, UK.
³ National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Bristol Biomedical Centre Diet and Physical Activity Theme, University of Bristol, UK; Oxford Medical Products Limited, Witney Business and Innovation Centre, Witney, UK.
⁴ Radiological Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, UK; National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Nottingham Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham, UK.
⁵ National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, UK.
⁶ National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, UK; Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan; Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
⁷ Department of Medicine, Centre for Obesity Research, University College London, UK; National Institute for Health and Care Research, University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, London, UK.
⁸ National Centre for Sport and Exercise Medicine, School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, UK; National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Leicester Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust and University of Leicester, UK; Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Tokorozawa, Japan; Department of Sports Science and Physical Education, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. Electronic address: D.J.Stensel@lboro.ac.uk.

PMID: 37236384
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105247

Abstract

This systematic review examined whether neural responses to visual food-cues measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are influenced by physical activity. Seven databases were searched up to February 2023 for human studies evaluating visual food-cue reactivity using fMRI alongside an assessment of habitual physical activity or structured exercise exposure. Eight studies (1 exercise training, 4 acute crossover, 3 cross-sectional) were included in a qualitative synthesis. Structured acute and chronic exercise appear to lower food-cue reactivity in several brain regions, including the insula, hippocampus, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), postcentral gyrus and putamen, particularly when viewing high-energy-density food cues. Exercise, at least acutely, may enhance appeal of low-energy-density food-cues. Cross-sectional studies show higher self-reported physical activity is associated with lower reactivity to food-cues particularly of high-energy-density in the insula, OFC, postcentral gyrus and precuneus. This review shows that physical activity may influence brain food-cue reactivity in motivational, emotional, and reward-related processing regions, possibly indicative of a hedonic appetite-suppressing effect. Conclusions should be drawn cautiously given considerable methodological variability exists across limited evidence.

Keywords: Appetite; Brain; Exercise; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Physical activity; Visual food cues.

Publication types

Systematic Review
Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Brain / physiology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Cues*
Exercise
Food*
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods