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. 2024 Feb 27;14(3):221.
doi: 10.3390/brainsci14030221.

Neural Pathways Linking Autonomous Exercise Motivation and Exercise-Induced Unhealthy Eating: A Resting-State fMRI Study

Ying Ling  1   2 , Jinfeng Han  1   2 , Yicen Cui  1   2 , Wei Li  1   2 , Hong Chen  1   2
Affiliations

Neural Pathways Linking Autonomous Exercise Motivation and Exercise-Induced Unhealthy Eating: A Resting-State fMRI Study

Ying Ling et al. Brain Sci. .

Abstract

Background: Unhealthy food compensation following exercise contributes to the failure of exercise for weight loss. Autonomous exercise motivation is a protective factor against exercise-induced unhealthy foods licensing (EUFL). However, the neural mechanism of exercise-specific autonomous motivation and how these neural correlates link to EUFL remain uncertain.

Methods: This study explored the resting-state brain activity (i.e., amplitude or fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF/fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo)) and seed-based functional connectivity (rsFC) of autonomous exercise motivation among 223 (72.3% female) healthy young adults. Autonomous exercise motivation and EUFL were measured by self-report measurements.

Results: Results across resting-state indices and rsFC analysis show that autonomous exercise motivation was robustly associated with activity and connectivity within the cerebellum posterior lobe (PCB), middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and middle occipital gyrus (MOG). Specifically, the PCB acted as a hub, connecting the frontal and occipital lobes. Moreover, higher autonomous exercise motivation indirectly predicts reduced EUFL through enhanced activity in the MFG and connectivity of PCB-MOG.

Conclusions: Neural substrate for enhanced conflict awareness and motor control may explain the protective effect of autonomous exercise motivation on post-exercise unhealthy eating. Enhancement of these functions could help regulate post-exercise eating and improve the effectiveness of exercise for weight loss.

Keywords: autonomous motivation; exercise; resting-state fMRI; unhealthy foods licensing.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Resting-state brain activities associated with autonomous exercise motivation (regarding RAI as the predictor) controlled sex, age, and FD. (A) The correlations with ALFF; (B) the correlations with fALFF; (C) the correlations with ReHo. Notes: ALFF = amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations, fALFF = fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations, ReHo = regional homogeneity, rPCB = right cerebellum posterior lobe, rCUN = right cuneus, lMFG/rMFG = left/right middle frontal gyrus, lSTG/rSTG = left/right superior temporal gyrus, lMOG = left middle occipital gyrus, lSFG = left superior frontal gyrus, RAI = relative autonomy index.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Resting-state functional connectivity associated with autonomous exercise motivation (regrading RAI as the predictor) controlled sex, age, and FD. Notes: PCB = cerebellum posterior lobe, CUN = cuneus, MFG = middle frontal gyrus, MOG = middle occipital gyrus, SMG = supramarginal gyrus, PoG = postcentral gyrus, IFG = inferior frontal gyrus, SFG = superior frontal gyrus, RAI = relative autonomy index.
Figure 3
Figure 3
The fALFF in the right MFG (A) and the functional connectivity between the right PCB and the right MOG, (B) both totally mediated the relationship between autonomous exercise motivation and exercise-induced unhealthy foods licensing. Notes: RAI = relative autonomy index, fALFF = fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations, r = right, PCB = cerebellum posterior lobe, MOG = middle occipital gyrus, * p < 0.05, *** p < 0.001.
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