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Brain dopamine is associated with eating behaviors in humans
Author(s) -
Volkow Nora D.,
Wang GeneJack,
Maynard Laurence,
Jayne Millard,
Fowler Joanna S.,
Zhu Wei,
Logan Jean,
Gatley S. John,
Ding YuShin,
Wong Christopher,
Pappas Naomi
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
international journal of eating disorders
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.785
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1098-108X
pISSN - 0276-3478
DOI - 10.1002/eat.10118
Subject(s) - psychology , raclopride , dopamine , ventral striatum , brain stimulation reward , stimulation , striatum , anorectic , neuroscience , developmental psychology , neurotransmitter , medicine , endocrinology , central nervous system , food intake , nucleus accumbens
Objective Eating behavior in humans is influenced by variables other than just hunger‐satiety including cognitive restraint, emotional distress, and sensitivity to food stimuli. We investigate the role of dopamine (DA), a neurotransmitter involved with food motivation, in these variables. Methods We used the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) to measure Restraint, Emotionality, and Externality in 10 subjects. We correlated DEBQ scores with brain DA levels. Positron emission tomography and { 11 C}raclopride uptake were used to measure baseline D 2 receptors (neutral stimulation) and to assess changes in extracellular DA to food stimulation (display of food). Results Restraint was correlated with DA changes with food stimulation (higher restraint, greater responsivity), emotionality was negatively correlated with baseline D 2 receptors (higher emotionality, lower D 2 receptors), whereas externality was not. These correlations were significant in the dorsal but not in the ventral striatum. Discussion These results provide evidence that DA in the dorsal striatum is involved with the restraint and emotionality components regulating eating behavior and that these two dimensions reflect different neurobiologic processes. © 2003 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.Int J Eat Disord 33: 136–142, 2003.