TY - JOUR
T1 - Utility of ‘substance use disorder’ as a heuristic for understanding overeating and obesity
AU - O'Connor, Richard M.
AU - Kenny, Paul J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022
PY - 2022/8/30
Y1 - 2022/8/30
N2 - Rates of obesity and obesity-associated diseases have increased dramatically in countries with developed economies. Substance use disorders (SUDs) are characterized by the persistent use of the substance despite negative consequences. It has been hypothesized that overconsumption of palatable energy dense food can elicit SUD-like maladaptive behaviors that contribute to persistent caloric intake beyond homeostatic need even in the face of negative consequences. Palatable food and drugs of abuse act on many of the same motivation-related circuits in the brain, and can induce, at least superficially, similar molecular, cellular, and physiological adaptations on these circuits. As such, applying knowledge about the neurobiological mechanisms of SUDs may serve as useful heuristic to better understand the persistent overconsumption of palatable food that contributes to obesity. However, many important differences exist between the actions of drugs of abuse and palatable food in the brain. This warrants caution when attributing weight gain and obesity to the manifestation of a putative SUD-related behavioral disorder. Here, we describe similarities and differences between compulsive drug use in SUDs and overconsumption in obesity and consider the merit of the concept of “food addiction”.
AB - Rates of obesity and obesity-associated diseases have increased dramatically in countries with developed economies. Substance use disorders (SUDs) are characterized by the persistent use of the substance despite negative consequences. It has been hypothesized that overconsumption of palatable energy dense food can elicit SUD-like maladaptive behaviors that contribute to persistent caloric intake beyond homeostatic need even in the face of negative consequences. Palatable food and drugs of abuse act on many of the same motivation-related circuits in the brain, and can induce, at least superficially, similar molecular, cellular, and physiological adaptations on these circuits. As such, applying knowledge about the neurobiological mechanisms of SUDs may serve as useful heuristic to better understand the persistent overconsumption of palatable food that contributes to obesity. However, many important differences exist between the actions of drugs of abuse and palatable food in the brain. This warrants caution when attributing weight gain and obesity to the manifestation of a putative SUD-related behavioral disorder. Here, we describe similarities and differences between compulsive drug use in SUDs and overconsumption in obesity and consider the merit of the concept of “food addiction”.
KW - Addiction
KW - Motivation
KW - Obesity
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85131904056&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110580
DO - 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110580
M3 - Review article
C2 - 35636576
AN - SCOPUS:85131904056
SN - 0278-5846
VL - 118
JO - Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry
JF - Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology and Biological Psychiatry
M1 - 110580
ER -