Newswise — When stressed, most Americans turn down a carrot stick and reach for a slice of pizza.  Not only does it taste good but also, for a brief moment, it makes them feel good. Scientists are exploring WHY that pizza makes you feel so good, and how the brain’s reward centers could be manipulated to keep you healthy AND happy.

Scientists and chefs from around the world will discuss this and other food-brain phenomena at the International Society of Neurogastronomy symposium.

The symposium will feature speakers exploring the brain's responses to flavor and especially the emotions that drive our food preferences and choices, like:

  • Rachel Herz, an expert in the psychological science of smell and the author of Why You Eat What You Eat: The Science Behind Our Relationship With Food
  • Yale's Dana Small, whose research focuses on understanding how sensory, metabolic, and neural signals are integrated to determine food choices.

They study what happens when the odor messages reach the emotional and conscious centers of the brain, including the link with memories.

 In other words, hypothetically: we have happy childhood memories of pizza parties with friends, whereby this flavor becomes linked with pleasure, and so when we're stressed, we tend to reach for the thing that made us happy.

 Neurogastronomy is an up-and-coming science that that addresses brain and behavior. This year’s symposium focuses on diabetes, both the effects and possible reversal of by using your brain and food.