Table 1 Summary of physiological responses to food stimuli

Racine et al. 2016 [26]

• 19 AN females

• Positive images

• Negative images

• Neutral images

• Food images

• Startle blink response

• Potentiated startle response > neutral

Friederich et al. 2006 [27]

• 15 AN female

• 15 BN female

• 30 HC female

• Food images

• Body images

• Positive images

• Neutral images

• Aversive images

• Startle blink response

• BN startle inhibition > neutral

• No significantly different response in AN

Mauler et al. 2006 [28]

• 32 BN women

• 32 HC women

• Unpleasant images

• Neutral images

• Pleasant images

• Food images

• Startle blink response

• Corrugator EMG

• HR

• SCR

• BN potentiated startle > control

• BN increased corrugator activity > HC

Drobes et al. 2001 [29]

• 23 controls

• 13 with restrained eating

• 19 with binge behaviours

• 21 food deprived subjects

• Unpleasant images

• Pleasant images

• Food images

• Neutral images

• Startle blink response

• HR

• SCR

• Binge group potentiated startle response

• Binge group greater startle response > control

• Elevated HR for both binge and restrained

Suissa Rocheleau et al. 2019 [30]

• 18 controls

• 19 with binge eating symptoms

• 19 with dietary restriction symptoms

• 23 with restriction and binge eating symptoms

• Food images

• Pleasant images

• Aversive images

• Neutral images

• Startle blink response

• Higher self-reported craving correlated with a larger startle reflex

• Binge and restrictive behaviours caused decreased startle reflex to food cues

Soussignan et al. 2009 [31]

• 16 AN females

• 25 HC females

• Food images

• Facial EMG

• SCR

• HR

• AN decreased zygomatic activity

Racine et al.

2017 [32]

• 67 male and female participants who completed the eating disorder examination questionnaire

• Food images

• Neutral images

• Aversive images

• Pleasant images

• Startle probe

• Post auricular reflex

• Facial EMG

• High eating disorder cognitions had increased corrugator activation > neutral

• Increased post auricular reflex in those with binge eating behaviours > those without

Overduin et al. 1997 [33]

• 11 female restrained eaters

• 13 female controls

• Neutral images

• Food images

• Body images

• SCR

• HR

• Startle reflex

• Facial EMG

• Decreased corrugator activity in restrained > unrestrained eaters for food images

• No other group differences seen

Leehr et al.

2016 [34]

• 16 Overweight women with BED

• 23 Overweight women without BED

• 22 Healthy controls

• High calorie food images

• Non-food images

• Facial EMG

• Increased corrugator activator for all groups > non food

Svaldi et al. 2010 [35]

• 22 females with BED

• 22 female controls with BMI over 25

• Food images

• HR and SCR

• Decreased HR and SCR > non-food in those with BED