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Animal Models of Binge-Eating Palatable Foods: Emergence of Addiction-Like Behaviors and Brain Changes in the Rat

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Animal Models of Eating Disorders

Part of the book series: Neuromethods ((NM,volume 161))

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Abstract

Binge eating is a behavioral component of some eating disorders, and it is also noted in overweight and obese as well as nonclinical populations. Given its increasing prevalence in society, understanding the behavioral, physiological, and neurochemical components of binge eating is important. Both sugars and fats have been identified as common macronutrients consumed by humans during binge-eating episodes and are thus of interest to study. This chapter describes animal models of sugar and fat bingeing as well as the combination of sugar and fat, which allow for a detailed analysis of these behaviors and their concomitant physiological effects. These particular models of binge eating have been shown to elicit behavioral and neurochemical signs of drug-like dependence in rats, including indices of opiate-like withdrawal, increased intake after abstinence, cross-sensitization with drugs of abuse, and the repeated release of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens following repeated bingeing. These findings support the hypothesis that some palatable foods may have addiction potential when they are consumed in excess.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Intramural Research Program, Rockville, MD, USA

    Miriam E. Bocarsly

  2. Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA

    Nicole M. Avena

Authors
  1. Miriam E. Bocarsly
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  2. Nicole M. Avena
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nicole M. Avena .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neuroscience, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA

    Nicole M. Avena

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Bocarsly, M.E., Avena, N.M. (2021). Animal Models of Binge-Eating Palatable Foods: Emergence of Addiction-Like Behaviors and Brain Changes in the Rat. In: Avena, N.M. (eds) Animal Models of Eating Disorders. Neuromethods, vol 161. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0924-8_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-0924-8_10

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-0923-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-0924-8

  • eBook Packages: Springer Protocols

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