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Persistent effects of obesity: a neuroplasticity hypothesis
Bridget A Matikainen-Ankney1, Alexxai V Kravitz1,2
1National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences
|May 10, 2018
Summary
Obesity is a persistent health challenge linked to brain changes similar to addiction. These neuroplasticity alterations may explain why weight regain is common, even after successful weight loss.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Obesity Research
- Addiction Science
Background:
- The obesity epidemic poses significant health risks, including cardiovascular, endocrine, and psychiatric diseases.
- Maintaining weight loss is a persistent challenge for many individuals despite dietary and lifestyle interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a hypothesis explaining the persistence of obesity.
- To explore the role of neural plasticity in maintaining obesity and weight regain.
Main Methods:
- Review and synthesis of existing research on neural circuits involved in substance use disorder and obesity.
- Hypothesizing the role of neurophysiological alterations and neural plasticity in obesity-associated behaviors.
Main Results:
- Significant overlap exists between neural circuits implicated in substance use disorder and obesity.
- Neural plasticity in these shared circuits, well-documented in substance use, is hypothesized to occur in obesity as well.
- This neuroplasticity may underlie persistent behavioral changes, altered energy balance, and difficulty maintaining weight loss.
Conclusions:
- Obesity may be characterized by neural plasticity in reward and motivation circuits, similar to addiction.
- These neurophysiological changes could explain reduced motivation, decreased physical activity, and altered energy regulation.
- Such plasticity may impact energy utilization and storage, contributing to the challenge of long-term weight management.
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