Caloric deprivation increases responsivity of attention and reward brain regions to intake, anticipated intake, and images of palatable foods

► Experiments show caloric deprivation increases reward and attention region response to food. ► Greater reward and attention region responsivity to food may increase risk for binge eating. ► Tested whether elective dietary restriction affects reward and attention region responsivity. ► Self-imposed dietary restriction did increase reward and attention region responsivity to food. ► Results may explain why caloric deprivation diets typically don't produce lasting weight loss.