Food Addiction and Obesity

Ferrario, Carrie R.

doi:10.1038/npp.2016.221

Cited by 39 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…Food intake is not only regulated by homeostatic feedback, but external signals including food cues also influence the motivation to eat independent of hunger state ( Derman and Ferrario, 2018a , 2018b ; Holland, 1977 ). These cue-triggered urges to seek out and consume food contribute to opportunistic eating that drives obesity ( Ferrario et al, 2016 ; Ferrario, 2017 ; Stice et al, 2013 ) and are more pronounced in male obesity-susceptible vs. -resistant populations ( Robinson et al, 2015 ; Derman and Ferrario, 2018a ; Alonso-Caraballo et al, 2018 ). Conditioned approach behavior was stronger in female obesity-prone vs. obesity-resistant rats ( Fig.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of the estrous cycle and ovarian hormones on cue-triggered motivation and intrinsic excitability of medium spiny neurons in the Nucleus Accumbens core of female rats

Alonso-Caraballo

Ferrario

2019

Hormones and Behavior

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Naturally occurring alterations in estradiol influence food intake in females. However, how motivational responses to food cues are affected by the estrous cycle or ovarian hormones is unknown. In addition, while individual susceptibility to obesity is accompanied by enhanced incentive motivational responses to food cues and increased NAc intrinsic excitability in males, studies in females are absent. Therefore, we examined basal differences in intrinsic NAc excitability of obesity-prone vs. obesity-resistant females and determined how conditioned approach (a measure of cue-triggered motivation), food intake, and motivation for food vary with the cycle in naturally cycling female obesity-prone, obesity-resistant, and outbred Sprague-Dawley rats. Finally, we used ovariectomy followed by hormone treatment to determine the role of ovarian hormones in cue-triggered motivation in selectively-bred and outbred female rats. We found that intrinsic excitability of NAc MSNs and conditioned approach are enhanced in female obesity-prone vs. obesity-resistant rats. These effects were driven by greater MSN excitability and conditioned approach behavior during metestrus/diestrus vs. proestrus/estrus in obesity-prone but not obesity-resistant rats, despite similar regulation of food intake and food motivation by the cycle in these groups. Furthermore, estradiol and progesterone treatment reduced conditioned approach behavior in obesity-prone and outbred Sprague-Dawley females. To our knowledge, these data are the first to demonstrate cycle- and hormone-dependent effects on the motivational response to a food cue, and the only studies to date to determine how individual susceptibility to obesity influences NAc excitability, cue-triggered food-seeking, and differences in the regulation of these neurobehavioral responses by the estrous cycle.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of the estrous cycle and ovarian hormones on cue-triggered motivation and intrinsic excitability of medium spiny neurons in the Nucleus Accumbens core of female rats

Alonso-Caraballo

Ferrario

2019

Hormones and Behavior

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“…Studies in humans suggest that in obesity-susceptible individuals, stronger motivational responses elicited by food cues drive over-consumption that lead to and maintain obesity (see introduction) and may share neurobehavioral features with drug addiction ( Berridge et al, 2010 ; Dagher, 2009 ; Ferrario, 2017 ). However, to date only one preclinical study has examined potential intrinsic differences in cue-triggered motivation in models of susceptibility to obesity ( Robinson et al, 2015 ), and the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This suggests that brain regions mediating incentive motivation, such as the NAc ( Berridge et al, 2009 , 2010 ; Cartoni et al, 2016 ; Holmes et al, 2010 ), differ functionally between obesity-susceptible vs. -resistant populations, thereby contributing to overconsumption in susceptible individuals ( Burger and Stice, 2014 ; Stoeckel et al, 2008 ; Tomasi and Volkow, 2013 ). This has prompted vibrant discussion about the degree to which these neurobehavioral differences seen in susceptible individuals are similar vs. different to those driving drug-seeking in addiction ( Berridge et al, 2010 ; Ferrario, 2017 ; Long et al, 2015 ; Michaud et al, 2017 ; Stice et al, 2013 ; Volkow et al, 2013 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enhanced incentive motivation in obesity-prone rats is mediated by NAc core CP-AMPARs

Derman

Ferrario

2018

Neuropharmacology

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Studies in humans suggest that stronger incentive motivational responses to Pavlovian food cues may drive over-consumption leading to and maintaining obesity, particularly in susceptible individuals. However, whether this enhanced incentive motivation emerges as a consequence of obesity or rather precedes obesity is unknown. Moreover, while human imaging studies have provided important information about differences in striatal responsiveness between susceptible and non-susceptible individuals, the neural mechanisms mediating these behavioral differences are unknown. The Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) mediates cue-triggered reward seeking and activity in the NAc is enhanced in obesity-susceptible populations. Therefore here, we used selectively-bred obesity-prone and obesity-resistant rats to examine intrinsic differences in incentive motivation, and the role of NAc AMPARs in the expression of these behaviors prior to obesity. We found that obesity-prone rats exhibit robust cue-triggered food-seeking (Pavlovian-to-instrumental transfer, PIT). Using intra-NAc infusion of AMPAR antagonists, we show that this behavior is selectively mediated by CP-AMPARs in the NAc core. Additionally, biochemical data suggest that this is due in part to experience-induced increases in CP-AMPAR surface expression in the NAc of obesity-prone rats. In contrast, in obesity-resistant rats PIT was weak and unreliable and training did not increase NAc AMPAR surface expression. Collectively, these data show that food cues acquire greater incentive motivational control in obesity-susceptible populations prior to the development of obesity. This provides support to the idea that enhanced intrinsic incentive motivation may be a contributing factor, rather than a consequence of obesity. In addition, these data demonstrate a novel role for experience-induced up-regulation of NAc CP-AMPARs in PIT, pointing to potential mechanistic parallels between the processes leading to addiction and to obesity.

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“…Although a promising beginning is made, it is vital to expand the experimental evidence to further substantiate the role of self-licensing processes in how much people eat. Especially considering that overeating has been identified as one of the main causes of the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity (Ferrario, 2017;Gortmaker et al, 2011), and is stimulated by the current food environment that provides ample opportunity to eat large quantities of (unhealthy) foods (Hill & Peters, 1998). Also, it is deemed important to demonstrate the pervasiveness of self-licensing by demonstrating the diversity in cues that can function as a justification for increased consumption.…”

Section: Experimental Evidence For Self-licensing Effects On Eating Bmentioning

confidence: 99%

Justified indulgence: self-licensing effects on caloric consumption

Prinsen

Evers

Ridder

2018

Psychology & Health

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Objective: Research on self-licensing, i.e. employing justifications to give into temptation, largely consists of studies examining dichotomous food choices (healthy vs. unhealthy), while evidence for its effects on how much (unhealthy) food is consumed remains scarce. The present studies aimed to demonstrate self-licensing effects on caloric consumption in both lab (Study 1 & 2) and field setting (Study 3). Design: In all studies, female student samples were recruited. They either received a justification cue (license condition) or not (control condition), after which they could eat freely from unhealthy snacks (Study 1, N ¼ 85 and Study 2, N ¼ 95) or choose a snack for direct consumption at a take-out lunch place (Study 3, N ¼ 110). Main outcome measures: Caloric value of consumed snacks (Study 1 and 2) and chosen snack (Study 3). Results: In all studies, caloric consumption was higher in the license condition compared to the control condition: Participants ate more of the provided unhealthy snacks (Study 1 and 2) and chose a snack of higher caloric value (Study 3). Conclusions: The present research corroborates self-licensing as an important factor in the consumption of unhealthy foods by employing more ecologically valid outcomes.

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Food Addiction and Obesity

Cited by 39 publications

References 9 publications

Effects of the estrous cycle and ovarian hormones on cue-triggered motivation and intrinsic excitability of medium spiny neurons in the Nucleus Accumbens core of female rats

Effects of the estrous cycle and ovarian hormones on cue-triggered motivation and intrinsic excitability of medium spiny neurons in the Nucleus Accumbens core of female rats

Enhanced incentive motivation in obesity-prone rats is mediated by NAc core CP-AMPARs

Justified indulgence: self-licensing effects on caloric consumption

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