title: Neurogenetic and Neuroimaging Evidence for a Conceptual Model of Dopaminergic Contributions to Obesity.
abstract: As the incidence of obesity continues to rise, clinicians and researchers alike are seeking explanations for why some people become obese while others do not. While caloric intake and physical activity most certainly play a role, some individuals continue to gain weight despite careful attention to these factors. Increasing evidence suggests that genetics may play a role, with one potential explanation being genetic variability in genes within the neurotransmitter dopamine pathway. This variability can lead to a disordered experience with the rewarding properties of food. This review of literature examines the extant knowledge about the relationship between obesity and the dopaminergic reward pathways in the brain, with particularly strong evidence provided from neuroimaging and neurogenetic data. Pubmed, Google Scholar, and Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature searches were conducted with the search terms dopamine, obesity, weight gain, food addiction, brain regions relevant to the mesocortical and mesolimbic (reward) pathways, and relevant dopaminergic genes and receptors. These terms returned over 200 articles. Other than a few sentinel articles, articles were published between 1993 and 2013. These data suggest a conceptual model for obesity that emphasizes dopaminergic genetic contributions as well as more traditional risk factors for obesity, such as demographics (age, race, and gender), physical activity, diet, and medications. A greater understanding of variables contributing to weight gain and obesity is imperative for effective clinical treatment.
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh, School of Nursing, Pittsburgh, PA, USA University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA Stanfill@pitt.edu.
authors.forename: Ansley Grimes
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Stanfill
authors.affiliation: University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Yvette
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Conley
authors.affiliation: National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA.
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cashion
authors.affiliation: University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA.
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Ramin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Homayouni
authors.affiliation: University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cowan
authors.affiliation: University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA.
authors.forename: Donna
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hathaway
mesh_terms: D001835:Body Weight; D002149:Energy Intake; D006801:Humans; D059906:Neuroimaging; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D062308:Optogenetics; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012201:Reward; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2
keywords: BMI; dopamine; genetics; obesity