Stress, eating and the reward system

Area of Science:

• Neuroendocrinology
• Obesity Research
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Rising global obesity rates and widespread stress concerns highlight a critical public health issue.
• Chronic stress and elevated glucocorticoids, particularly cortisol, are increasingly linked to visceral obesity.
• The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, crucial for stress response, is intricately connected with appetite regulation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the complex relationship between psychological stress and eating behaviors.
• To propose a theoretical model, Reward Based Stress Eating, linking cortisol, reward circuitry, and food intake.
• To identify neuroendocrine mediators influencing stress-induced eating and obesity.

Main Methods:

• Integration of animal and human research literature on stress and eating.
• Examination of the role of the brain's reward circuitry and endogenous opioid release.
• Analysis of cortisol's influence on food reward value via mediators like leptin, insulin, and neuropeptide Y.

Main Results:

• Psychological stress and palatable foods stimulate the brain's reward pathways and opioid release.
• Repeated reward pathway stimulation may lead to neurobiological adaptations promoting compulsive overeating.
• Dysregulation of the cortisol-insulin-leptin system under chronic stress may increase food intake and visceral fat.

Conclusions:

• The HPA axis and reward circuitry play significant roles in stress-related eating.
• Overconsumption of palatable foods, driven by stress, may contribute to the obesity epidemic.
• Understanding these neuroendocrine mechanisms is crucial for addressing stress-induced obesity.