Neurovisceral correlates of food priming and inhibitory control

Consuming a small amount of palatable food can increase motivation to continue eating, a phenomenon known as food priming. Thus, people restricting their intake may face greater inhibitory-control demands after tasting highly palatable food. Fasted university students (18–35 years; ≥3 h fast) who enjoy potato chips are randomly assigned to a priming condition, in which they consume one chip, or to a no-priming control. Participants watch four 8-minute slow film segments with an open package of chips within reach. During the first two segments, they are instructed not to eat and report craving. After the second segment, they may serve themselves 0–10 chips and must anticipate how many they will choose. The task yields two craving ratings and two prospective consumption measures. Electrocardiogram and skin conductance are recorded continuously. To assess neurovisceral effort, we measure parasympathetic regulation through heart rate variability (RMSSD) and sympathetic arousal through electrodermal activity (EDA). We hypothesize that priming will increase craving and anticipated consumption, with autonomic changes reflecting greater regulatory demand—specifically, decreased RMSSD and heightened EDA. Data collection is ongoing; no group-level conclusions can yet be drawn. This non-invasive paradigm may help characterize neural-autonomic mechanisms of craving, inhibitory control, and relapse-like eating.