Cited by 96Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on BehaviorEating Disorders and BehaviorsRegulation of Appetite and Obesity

Genetic risk for obesity predicts nucleus accumbens size and responsivity to real-world food cues

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Rapuano, Kristina M., Zieselman, Amanda L., Kelley, William M., Sargent, James D., Heatherton, Todd F., Gilbert-Diamond, Diane·2017·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

Abstract

Significance: Genetic predisposition and sensitivity to environmental cues jointly give rise to maladaptive human behaviors, such as unhealthy eating. Despite the dramatic rise in obesity rates, the relationship between these factors is not well understood. Here we show that children genetically at risk for obesity exhibit stronger reward-related responses to real-world food cues (i.e., food advertisements) in the nucleus accumbens, a brain area canonically associated with reward processing. Additionally, this structure is larger in children at a higher risk for obesity. Taken together, these findings offer one explanation for how genetic risk for obesity may predispose individuals to engage in unhealthy eating behaviors and may inform strategies targeting early intervention.

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  • Constant factors such as appetitive traits, genetic makeup, usual food preferences, and weight status are associated with different levels of reactivity to food cues.

    “Constant factors such as certain appetitive traits (e.g., those assessed by the Adult and Children Eating Behavior Questionnaires) [42,43], a person’s genetic makeup, usual food preferences, and weight status are all associated with different levels of reactivity to food cues [44,45,46,47,48,49].”

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Authors
Rapuano, K. M., Zieselman, A. L., Kelley, W. M., Sargent, J. D., Heatherton, T. F., & Gilbert-Diamond, D.
Affiliations
  • Dartmouth College (US)
  • Norris Cotton Cancer Center, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756;
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
2016-12-19
Volume
114
Issue
1
Pages
160-165
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
OpenAlex
W2563827316
Cited by
96
References
46
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 1 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 15 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 6 · 2016: 1
FWCI
6.73
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • HHS | NIH | NICHD | National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research (NICHD076097)
  • HHS | NIH | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA02258)
  • National Science Foundation (GRFP DGE-1313911)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
Keywords
obesity, FTO, rs9939609, genetic risk, nucleus accumbens, food cues, food advertising, food marketing, reward processing, children, body mass, adiposity, recessive model, dominant model
MeSH terms
Alpha-Ketoglutarate-Dependent Dioxygenase FTO, Child, Cues, Eating, Female, Food, Humans, Male, Nucleus Accumbens, Obesity, Reward, Genetic Predisposition to Disease, Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

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