Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Regulation of Food Intake01:30

Regulation of Food Intake

2.3K
Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...
2.3K
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder01:28

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

515
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a mental health condition characterized by recurrent obsessions, compulsions, or both, which consume significant time and interfere with daily functioning. Obsessions involve persistent, intrusive, and unwanted thoughts, images, or urges that evoke anxiety. Common examples include irrational fears of contamination or harm. Compulsions are repetitive behaviors or mental acts performed to reduce the anxiety caused by obsessions. For instance, individuals...
515
Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Dopamine Receptor Antagonists01:28

Drugs Affecting GI Tract Motility: Dopamine Receptor Antagonists

1.2K
Prokinetic agents are specialized medications that stimulate gastrointestinal (GI) motility, promoting food movement through the GI tract. Dopamine, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, plays a significant role in this process, reducing GI motility and indirectly controlling the speed of digestion. Dopamine receptor antagonists, such as metoclopramide and domperidone, offer a unique advantage as prokinetic agents. By blocking the dopamine receptors, these drugs increase GI motility, improving food...
1.2K
Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena01:15

Drug Abuse and Addiction: Pharmacological Phenomena

1.1K
Drug dependence, abuse, and addiction are complex phenomena that can precipitate various abnormal states. Physical dependence refers to a state of pharmacological adaptation to a drug. This adaptation often results in tolerance—a reduced response to the drug after repeated administrations. When the drug use is abruptly stopped, withdrawal symptoms occur due to the body's need to readjust from the pharmacologically induced imbalance. However, tolerance and withdrawal symptoms do not...
1.1K
Adrenergic Agonists: Indirect-Acting Agents01:25

Adrenergic Agonists: Indirect-Acting Agents

2.6K
Indirect-acting adrenergic agonists potentiate the effects of endogenous catecholamines through different mechanisms without directly binding to adrenoceptors.
One mechanism involves depleting stored catecholamines by displacing them from synaptic vesicles. These agents, known as "displacers," are transported into vesicles at the expense of noradrenaline. Examples include amphetamine and tyramine, which lack a catechol moiety, resulting in prolonged action, improved oral...
2.6K
Binge Eating Disorders01:23

Binge Eating Disorders

423
Binge eating disorder is a significant mental health condition characterized by recurrent episodes of excessive food consumption within a short period, accompanied by a perceived loss of control over eating behavior. Unlike occasional overeating, binge eating disorder is marked by distressing emotions such as guilt, shame, and anxiety following binge episodes. The disorder affects individuals across different ages and backgrounds, with profound implications for physical and psychological...
423

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

E-Cigarette Smoke Exposure Elevates Renal MR Expression and Induces BP Elevation.

Hypertension (Dallas, Tex. : 1979)·2025
Same author

The Role of Endogenous Beta-Endorphin and Enkephalins in the Crosstalk Between Ethanol and Morphine.

Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland)·2025
Same author

Challenges of Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Meningitis: Current Treatments and the Role of Glutathione as an Adjunct Therapy.

Vaccines·2025
Same author

Chronic Exposure to E-Cigarettes Elevates CYP2A5 Activity, Protein Expression, and Cotinine-Induced Production of Reactive Oxygen Species in Mice.

Drug metabolism and disposition: the biological fate of chemicals·2024
Same author

Glial Glutamate Transporter Modulation Prevents Development of Complete Freund's Adjuvant-Induced Hyperalgesia and Allodynia in Mice.

Brain sciences·2023
Same author

The Involvement of Endogenous Enkephalins in Glucose Homeostasis.

Biomedicines·2023

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 16, 2026

Simultaneous Detection of c-Fos Activation from Mesolimbic and Mesocortical Dopamine Reward Sites Following Naive Sugar and Fat Ingestion in Rats
08:07

Simultaneous Detection of c-Fos Activation from Mesolimbic and Mesocortical Dopamine Reward Sites Following Naive Sugar and Fat Ingestion in Rats

Published on: August 24, 2016

9.6K

Dopamine D2 Receptors and Its Downstream Signaling in Compulsive Eating.

Caden Leung1, Kabirullah Lutfy2

  • 1Diamond Bar High School, 21400 Pathfinder Road, Diamond Bar, CA 91765, USA.

Brain Sciences
|September 27, 2025
PubMed
Summary

High-fat diets may cause dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) downregulation, impairing signaling and contributing to compulsive eating. This review synthesizes evidence linking D2R changes to metabolic dysfunction and binge-eating behaviors.

Keywords:
compulsive eatingdopamine D2 receptorfood rewardhigh-fat diet

More Related Videos

Signal Attenuation as a Rat Model of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
09:29

Signal Attenuation as a Rat Model of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Published on: January 9, 2015

15.8K
A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats
06:11

A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats

Published on: February 20, 2019

7.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 16, 2026

Simultaneous Detection of c-Fos Activation from Mesolimbic and Mesocortical Dopamine Reward Sites Following Naive Sugar and Fat Ingestion in Rats
08:07

Simultaneous Detection of c-Fos Activation from Mesolimbic and Mesocortical Dopamine Reward Sites Following Naive Sugar and Fat Ingestion in Rats

Published on: August 24, 2016

9.6K
Signal Attenuation as a Rat Model of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
09:29

Signal Attenuation as a Rat Model of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Published on: January 9, 2015

15.8K
A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats
06:11

A Conflict Model of Reward-seeking Behavior in Male Rats

Published on: February 20, 2019

7.8K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Metabolic Health
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Obesity is a major public health crisis linked to metabolic diseases.
  • Dysregulation of the mesolimbic dopamine system, especially dopamine D2 receptors (D2Rs), is implicated in excessive food consumption and compulsive eating.
  • Chronic high-fat diets can downregulate and desensitize D2Rs, impairing their signaling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the relationship between D2R downregulation/desensitization and downstream signaling.
  • To synthesize current literature on the D2R pathway in the context of obesity and eating behaviors.
  • To hypothesize how D2R pathway alterations contribute to binge-eating behaviors.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review synthesizing existing research on D2R function and signaling.
  • Analysis of the impact of high-fat diets on D2R expression and function.
  • Exploration of downstream signaling cascades affected by D2R impairment.
  • Investigation of the link between D2R alterations and neuropeptide expression.

Main Results:

  • Chronic high-fat food consumption can lead to D2R downregulation and desensitization.
  • Impaired D2R signaling affects downstream pathways, including adenylyl cyclase inhibition.
  • These alterations may dysregulate orexigenic and anorexigenic neuropeptides.

Conclusions:

  • D2R downregulation and desensitization are critical mechanisms in obesity and compulsive eating.
  • Alterations in the D2R signaling pathway contribute to metabolic dysfunction.
  • Understanding this pathway offers potential targets for treating binge-eating behaviors.