Cited by 257Eating Disorders and BehaviorsNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorRegulation of Appetite and Obesity

The dark side of food addiction

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Parylak, Sarah L., Koob, George F., Zorrilla, Eric P.·2011·Physiology & Behavior

Abstract

In drug addiction, the transition from casual drug use to dependence has been linked to a shift away from positive reinforcement and toward negative reinforcement. That is, drugs ultimately are relied on to prevent or relieve negative states that otherwise result from abstinence (e.g., withdrawal) or from adverse environmental circumstances (e.g., stress). Recent work has suggested that this "dark side" shift also is a key in the development of food addiction. Initially, palatable food consumption has both positively reinforcing, pleasurable effects and negatively reinforcing, "comforting" effects that can acutely normalize organism responses to stress. Repeated, intermittent intake of palatable food may instead amplify brain stress circuitry and downregulate brain reward pathways such that continued intake becomes obligatory to prevent negative emotional states via negative reinforcement. Stress, anxiety and depressed mood have shown high comorbidity with and the potential to trigger bouts of addiction-like eating behavior in humans. Animal models indicate that repeated, intermittent access to palatable foods can lead to emotional and somatic signs of withdrawal when the food is no longer available, tolerance and dampening of brain reward circuitry, compulsive seeking of palatable food despite potentially aversive consequences, and relapse to palatable food-seeking in response to anxiogenic-like stimuli. The neurocircuitry identified to date in the "dark" side of food addiction qualitatively resembles that associated with drug and alcohol dependence. The present review summarizes Bart Hoebel's groundbreaking conceptual and empirical contributions to understanding the role of the "dark side" in food addiction along with related work of those that have followed him.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.04.063

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  • The Parylak model emphasizes brain circuits that modulate stress reactivity and antireward, which are enhanced after repeated drug exposures and after intermittent access to palatable foods.

    “Their model highlights the importance of brain circuits that modulate stress reactivity and antireward, which are enhanced after repeated drug exposures but also after intermittent access to palatable foods.”

    From The Addictive Dimensionality of Obesity (2013) · cites this paper as [106]

  • In drug addiction and in some cases of obesity or eating disorders, stress and negative moods such as depression and anxiety can trigger compulsive drug or food intake in humans.

    “They pointed out that both in drug addiction and in certain instances of obesity or eating disorders, stress and negative moods (depression, anxiety) can trigger compulsive drug (in addiction) or food intake in humans (obesity and eating disorders).”

    From The Addictive Dimensionality of Obesity (2013) · cites this paper as [106]

  • Nicotine abstinence, alcohol withdrawal, and intermittent consumption of highly palatable foods induce a negative emotional state that perpetuates intense cravings.

    “Nicotine abstinence, alcohol withdrawal, and intermittent consumption of highly palatable foods induce a negative emotional state that perpetuates intense cravings.171,173”
  • During abstinence, addictive substances increase emotional reactivity by recruiting an amygdala-driven anti-reward system that leads to aversive states.

    “During abstinence, addictive substances increase emotional reactivity by recruiting an amygdala-driven anti-reward system that leads to aversive states.171,172”

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Authors
Parylak, S. L., Koob, G. F., & Zorrilla, E. P.
Affiliations
Scripps Research Institute (US)
Corresponding author
Zorrilla, Eric P.
Venue
Physiology & Behavior
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2011-07
Volume
104
Issue
1
Pages
149-156
ISSN
0031-9384 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W1992952119
Cited by
257
References
145
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 21 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 19 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 13 · 2014: 23 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 16
FWCI
19.39
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Physiology & Behavior (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (P60AA006420)
  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (F31DA026690, DA026690)
  • National Institute of General Medical Sciences (R37GM038499)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (DK070118, DK076896, R01DK070118, P01DK026741, R01DK076896)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
Keywords
food addiction, negative reinforcement, positive reinforcement, stress, withdrawal, brain reward system, palatable food, compulsive eating, relapse, anxiety, depression, alcoholism
MeSH terms
Anxiety, Compulsive Behavior, Depression, Feeding Behavior, Humans, Behavior, Addictive, Pleasure

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