title: The biology of binge eating.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the literature on binge eating to gain a better understanding of its biological foundations and their role in eating disorders.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature review and synthesis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Research using animal models has revealed several factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of binge eating. These factors, including stress, food restriction, the presence of palatable foods, and environmental conditioning, parallel many of the precursory circumstances leading to binge eating in individuals with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The animal literature has opened a new avenue to aid in the understanding of the neurobiological basis of binge eating. Future endeavors examining the genetic and environmental correlates of binge eating behavior will further contribute to the understanding of the biological foundations of binge eating and assist with establishing diagnostic criteria and the development of novel treatments for eating disorders marked by binge eating.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States.
authors.forename: Wendy Foulds
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Mathes
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States.
authors.forename: Kimberly A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Brownley
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States.
authors.forename: Xiaofei
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States; Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States. Electronic address: cbulik@med.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Cynthia M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Bulik
mesh_terms: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D016739:Behavior, Addictive; D002032:Bulimia / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D052018:Bulimia Nervosa / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004777:Environment; D005508:Food Deprivation; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D006963:Hyperphagia / Q000503:physiopathology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D013649:Taste
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D004298:Dopamine