Homeostatic and hedonic signals interact in the regulation of food intake
Open accessAbstract
Food intake is regulated by 2 complementary drives: the homeostatic and hedonic pathways. The homeostatic pathway controls energy balance by increasing the motivation to eat following depletion of energy stores. In contrast, hedonic or reward-based regulation can override the homeostatic pathway during periods of relative energy abundance by increasing the desire to consume foods that are highly palatable. In contrast to the consumption of food, the motivation to use drugs of abuse is mediated only by the reward pathway. In this article we review the extensive research that has identified several mechanisms by which repeated exposure to drugs of abuse alters neuronal function and increases the motivational incentive to obtain and use these substances. We then compare our current understanding of drug-induced changes in neuronal reward circuitry with what is known about the consequences of repeated consumption of highly palatable foods such as high-fat and high-sugar diets. Next, we discuss the normal homeostatic regulation of food intake, which is a unique aspect of food addiction. Finally, we discuss the clinical implications of these neuronal adaptations in the context of obesity and neuropsychiatric syndromes such as bulimia nervosa and Prader-Willi syndrome.
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Insulin and leptin appear to negatively modulate the food rewarding system, whereas ghrelin exerts opposite effects.
“Furthermore, insulin and leptin appear to negatively modulate the food rewarding system [67], whereas ghrelin exerts opposite effects [68]; the changes in these hormonal concentrations following sleep restriction could therefore contribute to the increased hedonic, rather than homeostatic, eating, that may be typical of short sleepers.”
From Role of sleep duration in the regulation of glucose metabolism and appetite (2010) · cites this paper as [68]
Food intake is regulated by hedonic and homeostatic systems that historically served to maintain mean BMI within a healthy range under widely varying environmental conditions.
“Food intake is regulated by hedonic and homeostatic systems (3) that historically served to maintain mean BMI within a healthy range under widely varying environmental conditions.”
From Effects of dietary glycemic index on brain regions related to reward and craving in men (2013) · cites this paper as [3]
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- Authors
- Lutter, M., & Nestler, E. J.
- Affiliations
- The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Lutter, Michael
- Venue
- The Journal of Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2009-03
- Volume
- 139
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 629-632
- ISSN
- 0022-3166 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC2714382
- OpenAlex
- W2107440671
- Cited by
- 614
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 27 · 2025: 45 · 2024: 49 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 49 · 2021: 36 · 2020: 36 · 2019: 30 · 2018: 47 · 2017: 39 · 2016: 28 · 2015: 41 · 2014: 34 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 31
- FWCI
- 3.52
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
- National Institute of Mental Health (K08MH084058, P01 MH66172, R01 MH-51399, R01MH051399, P50MH066172)
- National Institute on Drug Abuse
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (PL1DK081182)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Keywords
- food intake regulation, reward pathways, energy balance, drug addiction, palatable food, high-fat high-sugar diet, food addiction, obesity, bulimia nervosa, Prader-Willi syndrome, incentive motivation
- MeSH terms
- Bulimia, Diet, Eating, Homeostasis, Humans
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