The psychological basis of hunger and its dysfunctions.

This article presents an emerging psychological perspective on hunger, emphasizing its basis in learning and memory rather than solely physiological processes. It distinguishes two forms of hunger: specific hunger, which is a desire for particular palatable foods triggered by cues and supported by episodic memory, and general hunger, a broader desire to eat prompted by temporal or interoceptive cues and reliant on semantic memory. Both forms depend on the medial temporal lobe (MTL) memory system, which can be impaired by factors such as a Western-style diet and obesity, potentially disrupting hunger experiences and motivation to consume healthier foods. The article discusses implications for nutritional education, hunger training, and pharmaceutical interventions aimed at improving MTL function to better manage hunger and dietary behavior.