Homeostatic and Hedonic Signals Interact in the Regulation of Food Intake (2009)

COMMENTS: By one of the top addiction researchers in the world. This paper compares and contrast food addiction with chemical addiction. As with other studies it finds they share the same mechanisms and brain pathways.If yummy food can cause addiction, then Internet potentially can also.

FULL STUDY: Homeostatic and Hedonic Signals Interact in the Regulation of Food Intake

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CRF System Recruitment Mediates Dark Side Of Compulsive Eating (2009)

COMMENTS: CRF is a neurotransmitter/hormone that has classically been associated with our stress response and activating the adrenal cortex. Addiction research has identified it as a major player in acquiring addictions, addiction relapse, and withdrawal symptoms. This study explored CRF’s role in food addiction and compulsive eating. Guss what? It has the same roles with […]

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Bingeing Rats: A Model of Intermittent Excessive Behavior? (2006)

COMMENTS: According to this paper, bingeing rats are a good model for human addictions – both behavioral and chemical. Feeding rats really yummy food on intermittent schedules encourages bingeing behavior. Study on the brains of these bingeing rats reveals the neurobiology of addiction for humans.

Full Study: Bingeing Rats: A Model of Intermittent Excessive Behavior?

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Decreased Neuronal Activity in Reward Circuitry of Pathological Gamblers During Processing of Personal Relevant Stimuli. (2010)

COMMENTS: It’s clear from this study that pathological gambling mirrors the neurobiology of substance addictions. They found diminished reward circuitry in wins and losses, unlike normal controls. Another finding is that important personal relevant stimuli did not activate the reward circuitry. This too is found in substance addictions. The new DSM will classify pathological gambling as an addiction.

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Alternation Learning In Pathological Gamblers An fMRI Study (2011)

COMMENTS: This study shows that pathological gamblers have alterations in the functioning of the frontal cortex. Could probably be described as hypofrontality. The decrease functioning of the frontal cortex is associated with impulse control problems.

Brain Imaging Behav. 2011 Mar;5(1):45-51.
Dannon PN, Kushnir T, Aizer A, Gross-Isseroff R, Kotler M, Manor D.
Beer Yaakov Mental Health Center, Beer Yaakov, Israel.
[email protected]

Abstract

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Are You Skin Hungry?

by Joni Renee Over the fall I decided I had to be single for a while. While reluctant, I knew it was best, as I had some serious studying to do to become licensed in my field – and men (because of my zest for them) proved to be too much of a distraction. So […]

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