The results confirmed the presence of a relation between executive functions and overweight/obesity , although the directionality of this relation was not clear ; nor did any single executive function emerge as being more involved than others in this relation .
Despite this , there was evidence of a reciprocal influence between executive functions and overweight/obesity .
Conclusions : This systematic review underlines the presence of a relationship between executive functions and overweight/obesity .
Moreover , it seems to suggest a bidirectional trend in this relationship that could be the cause of the failure of interventions for weight reduction .
Background : The increasing incidence of people affected by overweight or obesity is a significant health problem .
The knowledge of the factors which influences the inappropriate eating behaviors causing excessive body fat is an essential goal for the research .
Overweight and obesity are significant risk factors for many health diseases , such as cardiovascular problems , diabetes .
Recently , many studies have focused on the relationship between body weight and cognitive processes .
Objectives : This systematic review is aim ed to investigate the existence and the nature of the relationship between excessive body weight ( overweight/obesity ) and executive functions , analyzing cross-sectional , and longitudinal studies in order to verify the evidence of a possible causality between these variables .
Delay or probability discounting in a model of impulsive behavior: effect of alcohol.
Little is known about the acute effects of drugs of abuse on impulsivity and self-control . In this study , impulsivity was assessed in humans using a computer task that measured delay and probability discounting . Discounting describes how much the value of a reward ( or punisher ) is decreased when its occurrence is either delayed or uncertain . Twenty-four healthy adult volunteers ingested a moderate dose of ethanol ( 0.5 or 0.8 g/kg ethanol : n = 12 at each dose ) or placebo before completing the discounting task . In the task the participants were given a series of choices between a small , immediate , certain amount of money and $ 10 that was either delayed ( 0 , 2 , 30 , 180 , or 365 days ) or probabilistic ( i.e. , certainty of receipt was 1.0 , .9 , .75 , .5 , or .25 ) . The point at which each individual was indifferent between the smaller immediate or certain reward and the $ 10 delayed or probabilistic reward was identified using an adjusting-amount procedure . The results indicated that ( a ) delay and probability discounting were well described by a hyperbolic function ; ( b ) delay and probability discounting were positively correlated within subjects ; ( c ) delay and probability discounting were moderately correlated with personality measures of impulsivity ; and ( d ) alcohol had no effect on discounting
The results confirmed the presence of a relation between executive functions and overweight/obesity , although the directionality of this relation was not clear ; nor did any single executive function emerge as being more involved than others in this relation .
Despite this , there was evidence of a reciprocal influence between executive functions and overweight/obesity .
Conclusions : This systematic review underlines the presence of a relationship between executive functions and overweight/obesity .
Moreover , it seems to suggest a bidirectional trend in this relationship that could be the cause of the failure of interventions for weight reduction .
Background : The increasing incidence of people affected by overweight or obesity is a significant health problem .
The knowledge of the factors which influences the inappropriate eating behaviors causing excessive body fat is an essential goal for the research .
Overweight and obesity are significant risk factors for many health diseases , such as cardiovascular problems , diabetes .
Recently , many studies have focused on the relationship between body weight and cognitive processes .
Objectives : This systematic review is aim ed to investigate the existence and the nature of the relationship between excessive body weight ( overweight/obesity ) and executive functions , analyzing cross-sectional , and longitudinal studies in order to verify the evidence of a possible causality between these variables .