In vivo incorporation of tritium to measure lipogenesis in red skeletal muscle: significance of a nonlipogenic diet in LA/N-fa(k)( corpulent ) and Zucker fa rat strains

Skeletal muscle lipogenesis in rodents may equal that of liver but its importance in the obese animals is not known. We evaluated the rate of fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis and storage content in red skeletal muscles, liver, inguinal fat, and retroperitoneal fat of the LA/N-fak (“corpulent”) and Zucker fa obese rat strains. Obese-lean pairs of both rat strains, weaned at 32 days, fed a nonlipogenic diet (54% starch for 21 days) were either dosed with 2 µCi 3H-H2 O per gram of body weight and tested after 60 minutes for whole body 3H-incorporation into fatty acids and triglycerides, or terminated for triglyceride storage content analysis. Fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis (microgram-atoms 3H incorporation/hour/gram of tissue) and triglyceride storage content (milligrams/gram wet weight) for LA/N-fak- (“corpulent”) obese rats were higher (P \u3c 0.05) in gastrocnemius and vastus medius skeletal muscles. Triglyceride storage content was higher (P \u3c 0.05) for obese versus lean animals in iliacus and psoas muscles, inguinal fat, and retroperitoneal fat. Liver fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis and storage content were similar. Fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis and storage content for Zucker fa obese rats were higher (P \u3c 0.05) in vastus medius muscles compared with lean littermates. Triglyceride synthesis in psoas, iliacus, and gastrocnemius muscles, and in liver was higher (P \u3c 0.05) in obese versus lean rats. Obese rats had higher triglyceride storage content (P \u3c 0.05) in soleus and gastrocnemius muscles, liver, inguinal fat, and retroperitoneal fat compared with lean littermates. Because skeletal muscle mass is several times that of liver and because obese rats synthesize significantly more lipids than their lean littermates, we suggest that skeletal muscle may play a substantial role in the development of obesity in both of these rat strains

Dispositional motivations and message framing: A test of the congruency hypothesis in college women.

The authors examined the congruency hypothesis that health messages framed to be concordant with dispositional motivations will be most effective in promoting health behaviors. Undergraduate students (N ϭ 63) completed a measure of approach/avoidance orientation (behavioral activation/inhibition system) and read a gain-or loss-framed message promoting flossing. Results support the congruency hypothesis: When given a loss-framed message, avoidance-oriented people reported flossing more than approach-oriented people, and when given a gain-framed message, approach-oriented people reported flossing more than avoidance-oriented people. Discussion centers on implications for health interventions and the route by which dispositional motivations affect health behaviors through message framing. Key words: approach and avoidance motivation, message framing, behavior change Providing people with persuasive health messages is often the first step taken in efforts to promote healthy behavior. When persuasive communications are used, two central factors are the type of message and the characteristics of the message recipient. Research in health psychology often looks at these two factors in isolation. The present article explores the interaction between these two factors in predicting health behavior change. We examine the congruency hypothesis that health messages framed to be concordant with individual motivational dispositions will be most effective in promoting positive health behaviors

Predicting Persuasion-Induced Behavior Change From the Brain

Although persuasive messages often alter people\u27s self-reported attitudes and intentions to perform behaviors, these self-reports do not necessarily predict behavior change. We demonstrate that neural responses to persuasive messages can predict variability in behavior change in the subsequent week. Specifically, an a priori region of interest (ROI) in medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) was reliably associated with behavior change (r = 0.49, p \u3c 0.05). Additionally, an iterative cross-validation approach using activity in this MPFC ROI predicted an average 23% of the variance in behavior change beyond the variance predicted by self-reported attitudes and intentions. Thus, neural signals can predict behavioral changes that are not predicted from self-reported attitudes and intentions alone. Additionally, this is the first functional magnetic resonance imaging study to demonstrate that a neural signal can predict complex real world behavior days in advance

Astro Palate Experiment

No abstract availabl

Psychological and Neural Contributions to Appetite Self-Regulation

Objective: This paper reviews the state of the science on psychological and neural contributions to appetite self-regulation in the context of obesity. Methods: Three content areas (neural systems and cognitive functions; parenting and early childhood development; and goal setting and goal striving) served to illustrate different perspectives on the psychological and neural factors that contribute to appetite dysregulation in the context of obesity. Talks were initially delivered at an NIH workshop consisting of experts in these three content areas, and then content areas were further developed through a review of the literature. Results: Self-regulation of appetite involves a complex interaction between multiple domains, including cognitive, neural, social, and goal-directed behaviors and decision-making. Self-regulation failures can arise from any of these factors, and the resulting implications for obesity should be considered in light of each domain. In some cases, self-regulation is amenable to intervention; however, this does not appear to be universally true, which has implications for both prevention and intervention efforts. Conclusions: Appetite regulation is a complex, multifactorial construct. When considering its role in the obesity epidemic, it is advisable to consider its various dimensions together to best inform prevention and treatment efforts