Neural Stimulation of Prefrontal Cortex Improves Food-Related Memory Suppression.

Abstract

Individuals with obesity often struggle to resist the temptation of palatable food, which may be linked to impaired inhibitory control-a crucial cognitive function for regulating eating behavior. Enhancing inhibitory control over food-related memories has been proposed as a potential intervention strategy for obesity. The right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) plays a key role in regulating reward-driven impulses. However, it remains unclear whether neuromodulating the right dlPFC can selectively strengthen inhibitory control over food-related memories, particularly in individuals with overweight/obesity status who exhibit heightened reward sensitivity and diminished executive function. This study employed a food Think/No-Think (TNT) training combined with HD-tDCS targeting the right dlPFC to assess its effects on inhibitory control over food-related memory in individuals with overweight/obesity. Both groups with healthy weight and overweight/obesity demonstrated significant improvements in memory suppression following anodal stimulation. Notably, individuals with overweight/obesity exhibited greater reductions in memory intrusion at the early stage, suggesting they may benefit more from anodal stimulation in resisting memory intrusions. These findings highlight the potential of combining neuromodulation with cognitive training as a promising intervention for obesity, providing both theoretical insights and empirical evidence for future prevention and treatment approaches.