Understanding Overeating and the Brain's Reward System

30 Questions

What chemicals can trigger binge eating by making 'feel good' chemicals in the striatum?

Endorphins

Which brain region is responsible for motivating feeding behavior by releasing dopamine?

Striatum

What can overpower hormonal signals and conscious attempts to stop eating when full in some individuals?

Actions of endorphins, dopamine, and other reward system chemicals

Which hormones signal the start and stop of appetite by alerting feeding circuits in the hypothalamus?

Appetite-stimulating hormones from the gut

What hormones are released in the hypothalamus and reward centers to suppress appetite and inhibit pleasure as the gut fills and blood nutrient levels rise?

Leptin and insulin

Which brain region increases the pleasure associated with eating by stimulating reward centers?

Ventral tegmental area and the striatum

What can supercharge the brain's reward system and overpower the brain's ability to signal an individual to stop eating?

Foods rich in fat and sugar

In terms of addiction, when does the mechanism matter?

When it leads to effective treatments

What drug has been shown to reduce the desire for food but comes with dangerous side effects?

Rimonabant

How do fatty, sugary foods affect some people's eating habits?

They motivate some people to overeat

What do hormones regulate in the brain that controls appetite and satiety?

Feeding circuits

What sensation is common in both drug addiction and overeating?

The more they have, the more they want

What is the term for overeating for pleasure that hijacks the brain's reward networks?

Hedonic overeating

What neurotransmitter is central to motivation and is released into the striatum in response to addictive drugs and appetizing food?

Dopamine

Which receptor, responding to dopamine, shows low levels in the striatum of obese individuals, similar to those suffering from addiction?

Dopamine D2 receptor (D2R)

How does overeating create a feedback loop in the brain's reward centers similar to drug addiction?

The more you consume, the more you crave, and the harder it is to satisfy that craving.

What core features do some circumstances of hedonic overeating share with drug addiction?

Tolerance and relapse

What is the genetic risk factor for developing both obesity and drug addiction?

Reduced levels of the D2R receptor

What brain system helps maintain a healthy and consistent body weight by signaling when it is time to eat and when it is time to stop?

Appetite-suppressing hormones such as leptin and insulin

What can often override the signals from appetite-suppressing hormones and drive weight gain?

Highly appetizing foods

What happens to the blood levels of appetite-suppressing hormones as body weight increases?

Elevate higher and higher

According to brain-imaging studies, how do the reward systems in overweight individuals respond to food?

Weakly, even to junk food

How do obese individuals try to overcome the depressed mood caused by muffled reward circuits in the brain?

By eating more delectable food to gain a temporary boost

What may obese individuals overeat for, in comparison to lean individuals?

To experience the same degree of pleasure from food

What is the relationship between obesity and hormonal/metabolic disturbances according to the text?

Consequence of weight gain rather than a cause

How do drugs of abuse like morphine affect the brain's reward systems?

Stimulate the brain's reward systems similar to food

What do studies suggest about the effects of endorphin blockers on activation of reward circuits in humans and rodents?

Lessen activation of reward circuits

What is the common mechanism that regulates both hedonic overeating and addictive drug use?