Week 8 Flashcards
What is the definition of food addiction
no one is agreed common principles include
Compulsive over eating. Chronic Intake of food beyond homeostatic requirements. Intake of highly palatable foods
What are the two main aspects of the food addiction hypothesis
Some foods warrant the classification as addictive substances
Some individuals are prone to becoming addicted to such foods
What is the neurology of food addiction
The dopamine system is unbalanced and it overrides the homeostatic system
Is the dopamine system down or up regulated as a result of food addiction in rats how does this related to drug addiction
They also had down regulation of dopamine receptors - similar to that of repeated drug consumption
What food behaviours to rats take part in which is evidence of food addiction in rats
Binge eating, cue induced motivation, increased consumption over time, eating despite negative consequences (foot shock) and having access to nutritional food. They also showed withdrawal from sugar (but not fat)
Discuss the idea that intermittent access of junk food that leads to addiction
While rats become addicted when they only access to the foods at specific times there is no evidence addiction when they have access 24/7
What are the most commonly reported symptoms of food addiction
Unsuccessful attempts to restrict food intake and continued consumption despite negative consequences
What is likely to occur with food addiction ?
Bmi, binge eating, food craving. Harm avoidance, emotion dysregulation, negative urgency, impulsivity. Mood disorders ptsd and adhd
What happens to wanting and needing pathways in womens brains with FA
Womens brains with food addiction an increase in brain activity in motivational areas when anticipating food (looked at a chocolate milkshake) and had a decrease in activation in self control related areas upon actually receiving the food
What resting brain patterns are seen in those with obesity
Higherer activation in areas associated with hunger in cases compared to controls
Describe dopamine and opioid pathways in those with FA
People with food addiction show elevated dopamine pathways and opioid signalling pathways
Discuss attentional biases in people with FA
Women are faster to respond to junk compared to healthy food
Discuss inhibitory control in those with FA
There is no evidence of inhibitory control in food addiction
Describe the role of performance monitoring in food addiction
People with FA demonstrated difficulty detecting and responding to errors made during the task
Discuss the role of inhibition/cognitive flexibility
People with FA found it difficult to inhibit a response even if they knew it was wrong and had trouble adjusting to a new rule, rather they continued to play the game as before
Are certain foods addictive
No, evidence leads to the notion that highly processed foods foods high in glycaemic loads (absorbed rapidly by the body e.i carbs sugar) are problematic but not one food is bound to make u addicted
Define the differences between obesity and FA
Although FA symptoms can be evident people who are obese. Most people who are obese are not addicted to food. And people with FA are not always over weight
desribe the overlap between binge eating disorder and food addiction
50% of those with BED meet criteria for FA which isnt surprising since the criteria for these two disorders share many of the same diagnostic factors.
Describe twin studies in FA
Twin studies explained 50% of the variance in the link between sugar intake and polysubstance use the other 50 was accounted for by enviormental factors such as stress
Discuss substance use disorders, food disorder and food addiction
There is little overlap between eating disorder and substance use but food addiction shares many of criteria from these two seperate disorders
What are the issues of generalising animal studies to humans
Animals are on strict eating routines and kept in unnatural enviroments
What are the issues with animal studies
They are kept in an unnatural environment with a strict schedule unlike what humans experience
Describe the issue of circularity in FA
The FA scale captures addiction live behaviours, this reinforced the idea that food is addictive but maybe food is only addictive because we can measure it on a scale
Describe evidence for and against the evolutionary hypothesis of food
We are exposed to food since birth and eating is a natural reward necessary for survival. Therefore we are dependant on systems appropriate expression of our needs. But hyperpalatable foods are a very recent result of industrialised products and are not essential for survival
Give evidence that FA should be classified as behaviour addiction rather than a substance addiction
There is an inability characterise addictive components of food, as well as an inability to quantify an an amount that is addictive. But we can quantify behaviours surrounding food which lead to addiction
What are some treatment options for FA
Psychotherapies and cognitive training. Inhibitory control and episodic future thinking. Conditioning
Negatives of FA as a disorder
Stigma, labelling, limited public support to fund treatment
What are some medications used in fa
Dopamine agonists to activate dopamine recetor to make over eating less rewarding
Opiod antagonists to block feel good receptors and make food less appealing
Deep brain stimulation (surgical procedure)
Trans cranial magnetic stimulation
What is neurofeedback
Self regulation of brain activity through operant conditioning
What are some society implications of FA
Reduce stigma and make people see that FA is a disease so they are more forgiving of people with FA. Increase self efficacy to reduce self stigma and increase willingness to seek medical treatment decrease ease that we can access addictive foods
