The objectives and aims of this research proposal are to investigate the neural and behavioral correlates of sugar and drug addictions. The recent increased awareness of eating disorders and obesity in our country has led many to speculate about the addictive properties of food, and how this addiction may be related to the over-eating epidemic our society is currently facing. Recent research in rodents has indicated that sugar bingeing can lead to dependency that shares some behavioral and neurochemical similarities with drug dependency (Colantuoni et al., 2001; Colantuoni et al., 2002). This proposal plans to elaborate on these findings, by behaviorally investigating sugar craving, sensitization and cross-sensitization with other known drugs of abuse. Moreover, this research will examine neurochemical similarities between sugar and drug addiction in the nucleus accumbens. By further elucidating a possible link between food and drugs, new pharmacological and behavioral treatments may be developed to treat eating disorders.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
5F31DA016458-03
Application #
6946948
Study Section
Human Development Research Subcommittee (NIDA)
Program Officer
Babecki, Beth
Project Start
2003-09-01
Project End
2007-08-31
Budget Start
2005-09-01
Budget End
2006-08-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2005
Total Cost
$40,640
Indirect Cost
Name
Princeton University
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
002484665
City
Princeton
State
NJ
Country
United States
Zip Code
08544
Berner, Laura A; Avena, Nicole M; Hoebel, Bartley G (2008) Bingeing, self-restriction, and increased body weight in rats with limited access to a sweet-fat diet. Obesity (Silver Spring) 16:1998-2002
Avena, Nicole M; Rada, Pedro; Hoebel, Bartley G (2008) Evidence for sugar addiction: behavioral and neurochemical effects of intermittent, excessive sugar intake. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 32:20-39
Avena, Nicole M; Bocarsly, Miriam E; Rada, Pedro et al. (2008) After daily bingeing on a sucrose solution, food deprivation induces anxiety and accumbens dopamine/acetylcholine imbalance. Physiol Behav 94:309-15
Avena, N M; Rada, P; Hoebel, B G (2008) Underweight rats have enhanced dopamine release and blunted acetylcholine response in the nucleus accumbens while bingeing on sucrose. Neuroscience 156:865-71
Avena, Nicole M (2007) Examining the addictive-like properties of binge eating using an animal model of sugar dependence. Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 15:481-91
Avena, N M; Rada, P; Moise, N et al. (2006) Sucrose sham feeding on a binge schedule releases accumbens dopamine repeatedly and eliminates the acetylcholine satiety response. Neuroscience 139:813-20
Avena, Nicole M; Carrillo, Carmen A; Needham, Lance et al. (2004) Sugar-dependent rats show enhanced intake of unsweetened ethanol. Alcohol 34:203-9