Regulation of dietary choice by the decision-making circuitry

Abstract

To advance our understanding of how the brain makes food decisions, it is essential to combine knowledge from two fields that have not yet been well integrated: the neuro-computational basis of decision-making and the homeostatic regulators of feeding. This Review integrates these two literatures from a neuro-computational perspective, with an emphasis in describing the variables computed by different neural systems and how they affect dietary choice. We highlight what is unique about feeding decisions, the mechanisms through which metabolic and endocrine factors affect the decision-making circuitry, why making healthy food choices is difficult for many people, and key processes at work in the obesity epidemic.

Figure 1

Summary of computations that take place before, during and after decision-making.

Figure 2

Description of how the goal-directed system can compute the value of a stimulus; for example, an ice-cream sundae. First, the item is mapped into the set of attributes that describe it. Second, a value is assigned to each attribute based on the current physiological state and the pleasure or pain associated with consumption of that attribute in the past. Third, the attribute values are integrated to compute an overall value for the item. There are two classes of attributes: basic attributes (such as sweetness or taste quality, depicted in blue) that are taken into account by all decision-makers and more ‘abstract’ attributes (such as health, depicted in red) that are only taken into account by those who make healthy choices. We emphasize that the actual attributes used by the goal-directed system have not been identified, and the ones highlighted here were chosen solely for the purpose of providing an example.

Figure 3

External (green) and internal (dark red) vicious circles in obesity.