Brain imaging can predict your weight gain and your sexual appetite

This is suggested by these researchers at Dartmouth. Brain scans measuring some of our brain responses would predict weight gain and sexual activity of an individual. This use entirely new analysis of brain activity to predict future behavior, has been described in the April 18 edition of the Journal of Neuroscience.

These researchers demonstrated a link between the brain responses incentives identified by magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and future behavior. "This is one of the first brain imaging studies using the responses observed by scanning to predict future actual behavior over a long period of time," says Todd Heatherton, professor of psychology and study co-author. Researchers have identified a brain region known as the nucleus accumbens, often referred to as the "reward center" in a group of students. Participants viewed images of animals, scenes of the environment, food tasty, and others. 6 months later, the researchers identified their body weight as well as answers to a questionnaire about their sexual behavior.

Participants whose brains responded more strongly to food cues are those who have accused the largest weight gain six months later. The correlation between brain responses to food and weight gain is also verified when it comes to images of a sexual nature and sexual activity. Brain responsiveness to sexual images predicts sexual desire, the authors confirm.

This reactivity is specific to the subject, the study said, responsiveness to pictures of foods is linked to weight gain, but not engaging in sexual behavior more active, and vice versa.

The first stage of self-control, knowing his "weaknesses": William Kelley, associate professor of psychological science, co-author of these theories have long been studying the psychological self, which promote self-control or willpower. "We seek to understand the situations in which people resist temptations and to come not to yield to it," says Dr. Kelley. A first step of self-control is already awareness of its sensitivity to certain triggers specific environment, such as the arrival of a tray of desserts in a restaurant. "You have to already be vigilant to control the behavior to achieve the control," says Kelley.