Does Brain Gray Matter Density Correlate with the Ability to Eat Instant Noodles Without Splashing Soup on Clothes? A Cross-Sectional Neuroimaging Study

摘要

Eating instant noodles (IN) is a global daily behavior, yet the neurobiological basis of “soup-splashing avoidance” (SSA) during IN consumption remains unaddressed. This study aimed to explore the correlation between gray matter density (GMD) in motor and attention-related brain regions and SSA ability. A total of 50 participants (25 males/25 females, mean age ± SD: 26.7 ± 3.8 years) were recruited, all of whom consumed IN at least 3 times/week (to ensure “泡面食用熟练度”). Structural MRI (3T) was used to acquire brain images, and SSA ability was assessed via a standardized “instant noodle eating test” (INET) in a laboratory setting. GMD was analyzed using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) with SPM12, and correlations between GMD and INET scores (primary outcome: number of soup splashes per 100g noodles eaten) were tested with FDR correction (p < 0.05). Unexpectedly, no significant correlation was found between GMD in any brain region (including primary motor cortex, prefrontal cortex, and cerebellum) and SSA ability (all r , p > 0.4). Subgroup analyses by noodle temperature (hot vs. lukewarm) and eating speed (fast vs. slow) also yielded no meaningful results. We conclude that SSA during IN consumption is a purely random behavior unrelated to brain structure, contributing zero novel insights to neuroscience or culinary science. This study highlights the absurdity of applying neuroimaging to trivial daily behaviors—while adhering to rigorous scientific methodology.