Sporadic fasting reduces attentional control without altering overall executive function in a binary classification task

Ballestero-Arnau, M.; Rodríguez-Herreros, B.; Nuño-Bermúdez, N.; Cunillera, T. · 2023 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.114065

archive: archived pipeline: cataloged verified

Get this paper ↗ (DOI — opens at the source; we link to it, we don't host it)

Summary

This study investigates the specific cognitive impacts of sporadic fasting on executive function, focusing on the distinction between response inhibition and attentional control. While intermittent fasting is a recognized method for weight management, it requires individuals to resist hunger-induced cravings, a process that relies heavily on executive control. The authors aimed to determine whether a 12-hour fasting period impairs general decision-making, reactive response inhibition, or the sustained attentional monitoring required to maintain task goals. The experiment involved 26 healthy, normal-weight participants who completed two binary classification tasks—the Stop Signal Task (SST) and the Go/NoGo (GNG) task—in separate sessions: one after a 12-hour fast and one after normal eating habits. The SST measured reactive response inhibition via stop-signal reaction time (SSRT), while the GNG task assessed attentional control through commission errors on NoGo trials, where participants had to withhold responses to specific stimuli. Stimuli included high- and low-calorie food images and non-food office supplies. Statistical analyses, including repeated-measures ANOVA and logistic regression, evaluated performance differences across fasting conditions, image categories, and caloric content. The results indicated that fasting did not affect general decision-making processes or reactive response inhibition. Reaction times on Go trials and SSRTs in the SST remained unchanged between fasting and non-fasting conditions. However, fasting significantly impaired attentional control, evidenced by a higher rate of commission errors in the GNG task during the fasting session. This deficit was particularly pronounced for food-related stimuli and high-calorie images compared to non-food or low-calorie items. Logistic regression confirmed that fasting significantly predicted a reduced probability of accurate response inhibition, highlighting a specific disruption in the ability to maintain goal-relevant representations. These findings suggest that while the basic capacity to inhibit a prepotent response remains intact during hunger, the supervisory attentional processes required to monitor task demands and suppress automatic associations with food are compromised. The study concludes that subjective hunger disrupts attentional control rather than response inhibition per se. This distinction implies that difficulties in adhering to fasting diets may stem from an inability to sustain attention away from food cues rather than a failure of inhibitory mechanisms. Consequently, the authors recommend structured behavioral strategies to support attentional control and self-monitoring, aiding individuals in managing food intake during periods of caloric restriction.

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed.

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-26; verification: verified.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• executive function