Feeding as a Reward Mechanism

Ralph J DiLeone; Nandakumar S Narayanan; Douglas J Guarnieri

doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-3492-4_4

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Book chapter

Feeding as a Reward Mechanism

Ralph J DiLeone, Nandakumar S Narayanan and Douglas J Guarnieri

Sleep Loss and Obesity, pp.47-60

Springer New York

04/29/2012

DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-3492-4_4

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Abstract

Rates of obesity are increasing worldwide and pose a significant threat to individual health and to health-care systems. The natural drive to eat, combined with a surplus of readily available food, is together partly responsible for this modern epidemic. Recent research has better defined the molecular and neural mechanisms by which the brain regulates food intake. While much of this research focused on the hypothalamus, it has long been recognized that reward pathways have an important role in food intake. Here, an overview of the role of dopamine reward systems in regulating food intake is presented, with emphasis on regulation by peripheral metabolic signals. Moreover, there are emerging results that better connect regulation of sleep and reward circuits. The orexin (hypocretin) neuropeptide is an example of this and work on its role in addiction is also highlighted in this chapter.

Lateral Hypothalamus

Ventral Tegmental Area

Dopamine Neuron

Morphine Withdrawal

Conditioned Place Preference

Details

Title: Subtitle: Feeding as a Reward Mechanism
Creators: Ralph J DiLeone - Department of Psychiatry and Neurobiology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, USA
Nandakumar S Narayanan - Department of Neurobiology, Yale Medical School, New Haven, USA
Douglas J Guarnieri - Department of Psychiatry, Yale University, New Haven, USA
Resource Type: Book chapter
Publication Details: Sleep Loss and Obesity, pp.47-60
DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-3492-4_4
Publisher: Springer New York; New York, NY
Language: English
Date published: 04/29/2012
Academic Unit: Neurology; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
Record Identifier: 9984020888802771

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