How High-Fat Diets Affect Dopamine and Eating Behavior
Author Information
Author(s): Speed Nicole, Saunders Christine, Davis Adeola R., Owens W. Anthony, Matthies Heinrich J. G., Saadat Sanaz, Kennedy Jack P., Vaughan Roxanne A., Neve Rachael L., Lindsley Craig W., Russo Scott J., Daws Lynette C., Niswender Kevin D., Galli Aurelio
Primary Institution: Vanderbilt University
Hypothesis
Striatal dopamine dysfunction induced by a high-fat diet arises from impairment in central insulin signaling through Akt.
Conclusion
High-fat diets disrupt insulin signaling in the brain, leading to reduced dopamine function and increased food intake.
Supporting Evidence
- High-fat feeding led to increased caloric intake and weight gain in rats.
- Impairment of Akt signaling was observed in the striatum of rats fed a high-fat diet.
- Restoration of Akt function normalized dopamine transporter expression and behavior.
- High-fat diets resulted in reduced dopamine clearance in vivo.
- Viral gene delivery of IRS2 restored Akt activity and improved dopamine function.
Takeaway
Eating a lot of fatty foods can mess up how our brain handles a chemical called dopamine, which makes us want to eat more.
Methodology
Rats were fed either a high-fat or low-fat diet for 28 days, and various measures of dopamine signaling and behavior were assessed.
Limitations
The study was conducted in rats, which may not fully replicate human responses to high-fat diets.
Participant Demographics
Male Sprague-Dawley rats
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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