Avena, N. M., Gearhardt, A. N., Gold, M. S., Wang, G. J., & Potenza, M. N. (2012). Tossing the baby out with the bathwater after a brief rinse? The potential downside of dismissing food addiction based on limited data. Nat Rev Neurosci, 13(7), 514; author reply 514. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn3212-c1 A one-pager responding to a perspective article in Nature Reviews Neuroscience. avena2012 .pdf
Animal models of sugar and fat bingeing: relationship to Food Addiction and increased body weight
Avena, N.M., Bocarsly, Hobel (2012) Animal Models of sugar and fat bingeing: relationship to to food addiction and increased body weight. Methods in Molecular Biology (Clifton, N.J.), 829, 351-365 https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-458-223 Animal models of sugar and fat bingeing allow for a detailed analysis of behaviors and their concomitant physiological effects. The model of sugar bingeing has been used successfully to elicit behavioral and neurochemical signs of dependence in rats; e.g., indices of opiate-like withdrawal, increased intake after abstinence, cross-sensitization with drugs of abuse, and the repeated release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens following repeated bingeing. Studies using the model of fat bingeing suggest that it can produce some, but not all, of the signs of dependence that are seen with sugar binge eating, as well as increased body weight, potentially leading to obesity. binge eating addiction 2012.pdf
Translational neuroimaging in drug addiction and obesity
Michaelides M, Thanos PK, Volkow ND, Wang GJ. Translational neuroimaging in drug addiction and obesity. Ilar j 2012;53(1): 59-68. Drug addiction and obesity show striking similarities in functional impairment in brain regions and neurotransmitter circuits. michaelides2012 .pdf
Food and drug cues activate similar brain regions: a meta-analysis of functional MRI studies
Tang DW, Fellows LK, Small DM, Dagher A. Food and drug cues activate similar brain regions: a meta-analysis of functional MRI studies. Physiol Behav. 2012 Jun 6;106(3):317-24. doi: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2012.03.009. Epub 2012 Mar 16. PMID: 22450260. Meta-analysis of studies of functional MRI studies Study link
Further developments in the neurobiology of food and addiction: update on the state of the science
Avena, N. M., Gold, J. A., Kroll, C., & Gold, M. S. (2012). Further developments in the neurobiology of food and addiction: update on the state of the science. Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.), 28(4), 341-343. https://doi.org/10.1016/i.nut.2011.11.002 Review avena2012further
Does food addiction exist? A phenomenological discussion based on the psychiatric classification of substance-related disorders and addiction
Albayrak, 0., Wölfle, S. M., & Hebebrand, J. (2012). Does food addiction exist? A phenomenological discussion based on the psychiatric classification of substance-related disorders and addiction. Obes Facts, 5(2), 165-179. https://doi.org/10.1159/000338310 Review albayrak2012 .pdf
Sweet preference, sugar addiction and the familial history of alcohol dependence: shared neural pathways and genes
Fortuna JL. (2010). Sweet preference, sugar addiction and the familial history of alcohol dependence: shared neural pathways and genes. J Psychoactive Drugs, 42(2), 147151. https://doi.org/10.1080/02791072.2010.10400687 Review fortuna2010 .pdf
Food and drug reward: Overlapping circuits in human obesity and addiction
Volkow, N. D., Wang, G. J., Fowler, J. S., Tomasi, D., & Baler, R. (2011). Food and drug reward: Overlapping circuits in human obesity and addiction. In C. S. Carter & J. W. Dalley (Eds.), Brain imaging in behavioral neuroscience (pp. 1–24). Berlin: Springer. From the abstract: “… [Brain imaging discoveries] suggest that both obese and drug-addicted individuals suffer from impairments in dopaminergic pathways that regulate neuronal systems associated not only with reward sensitivity and incentive motivation, but also with conditioning (memory/learning), impulse control (behavioural inhibition), stress reactivity, and interoceptive awareness. Here, we integrate findings predominantly derived from positron emission tomography that shed light on the role of dopamine in drug addiction and in obesity, and propose an updated working model to help identify treatment strategies that may benefit both of these conditions. volkow2011 .pdf
Sensitivity to alcohol in obese patients a possible role for food addiction
Avena, N. M., & Gold, M. S. (2011). Sensitivity to alcohol in obese patients: a possible role for food addiction. J Am Coll Surg, 213(3), 451; author reply 451452. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iamcollsurg.2011.05.022 one page letter avena2011 .pdf
Why do the obese eat more?
Von Deneen, K. M., & Liu, Y. (2011). Obesity as an addiction: Why do the obese eat more? Maturitas, 68(4), 342-345. doi: 10.1016/j.maturitas.2011.01.018 The rising number of obese individuals on a global scale has led the scientific community to determine the causes for this disease. Besides over-consumption of high-caloric foods and/or endocrine dysfunction, food addiction has been found to be a major culprit for weight gain. Food addiction results from craving certain food or food-substances so as to obtain a state of heightened pleasure, energy or excitement. Major intervention is needed in curbing these cravings and suppressing the appetite to promote weight loss. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has been applied to study why obese individuals overeat. Introduction of this technology will serve as a means in paving the way for new weight loss drugs. vondeneen2011 .pdf