Stress-Induced Binge Eating: An Objective Marker of Vulnerability

Binge episodes in bulimia nervosa (BN) are often triggered by acute stress, which may lead to increased eating either through behavioral disinhibition or from negative reinforcement via food-induced reductions in stress. In this study, 16 women with BN or otherwise-specified feeding and eating disorder underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans before and after performing a high-pressure mathematical task that induced stress.

During the scan, participants looked at food-related and neutral pictures. Overall, stress induction led to reduced activation to food cues in ventromedial prefrontal cortex (PFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), precuneus, and amygdala.

For 2 weeks after the scan, participants performed ecological mom…