Excessive sugar intake alters binding to dopamine and mu-opioid receptors in the brain
Abstract
Palatable food stimulates neural systems implicated in drug dependence; thus sugar might have effects like a drug of abuse. Rats were given 25% glucose solution with chow for 12 h followed by 12 h of food deprivation each day. They doubled their glucose intake in 10 days and developed a pattern of excessive intake in the first hour of daily access. After 30 days, receptor binding was compared to chow-fed controls. Dopamine D-1 receptor binding increased significantly in the accumbens core and shell. In contrast, D-2 binding decreased in the dorsal striatum. Binding to dopamine transporter increased in the midbrain. Opioid mu-1 receptor binding increased significantly in the cingulate cortex, hippocampus, locus coeruleus and accumbens shell. Thus, intermittent, excessive sugar intake sensitized D-1 and mu-1 receptors much like some drugs of abuse.
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In rodents, regular intake of high-fat and high-sugar foods leads to downregulation of postsynaptic D2 receptors.
“In rodents, regular intake of high-fat and high-sugar foods leads to downregulation of postsynaptic D2 receptors.177–179”
From Early life adversity and health-risk behaviors: Proposed psychological and neural mechanisms (2018) · cites this paper as [177]
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- Authors
- Colantuoni, C., Schwenker, J., McCarthy, J., Rada, P., Ladenheim, B., Cadet, J.-L., Schwartz, G. J., Moran, T. H., & Hoebel, B. G.
- Affiliations
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- Princeton University (US)
- National Institutes of Health (US)
- Venue
- Neuroreport
- Published
- 2001-11
- Volume
- 12
- Issue
- 16
- Pages
- 3549-3552
- ISSN
- 0959-4965 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2000780784
- Cited by
- 471
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 18 · 2020: 22 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 28 · 2015: 33 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 27
- FWCI
- 2.59
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Neuroreport (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (5r01ns030697-04)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA-10608, R01DA010608)
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NS30697)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Keywords
- sugar consumption, dopamine D1 receptor, dopamine D2 receptor, mu-opioid receptor, dopamine transporter, food deprivation, nucleus accumbens shell, dorsal striatum, cingulate cortex, hippocampus, locus coeruleus, drug addiction, palatable food, receptor sensitization
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Brain, Eating, Female, Glucose, Receptors, Dopamine, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Receptors, Opioid, mu, Dietary Sucrose, Rats
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