Interoception

Question 1

What nerve brings signals related to food intake and satiety from the stomach to the brain?

Answer 1

the vagus nerve

Question 2

What is alliesthesia?

Answer 2

the internal state of the body that influences the perception of external stimuli

Question 3

What brain areas are heavily involved with interoception?

Answer 3

the insula is involved with autonomic control, emotion processing, taste processing, pain and empathy. the cingulate cortex in involved with the integration of interoception, emotion and social cognition

Question 4

How is interoception measured?

Answer 4

with heart-beat detection and self report measures (intuitive eating scale IES and STAI)

Question 5

Why is interoception important in eating behavior?

Answer 5

altered sensitivity may predispose some individuals to obesity (increased positive alliesthesia), making them hypersensitive to signals of hunger and insensitive to signals of satiety

Question 6

What is adolescent obesity associated with, in terms of interoception?

Answer 6

disrupted tuning of the insula system towards interoceptive input