title: Food reward system: current perspectives and future research needs.
abstract: This article reviews current research and cross-disciplinary perspectives on the neuroscience of food reward in animals and humans, examines the scientific hypothesis of food addiction, discusses methodological and terminology challenges, and identifies knowledge gaps and future research needs. Topics addressed herein include the role of reward and hedonic aspects in the regulation of food intake, neuroanatomy and neurobiology of the reward system in animals and humans, responsivity of the brain reward system to palatable foods and drugs, translation of craving versus addiction, and cognitive control of food reward. The content is based on a workshop held in 2013 by the North American Branch of the International Life Sciences Institute.
authors.affiliation: M. Alonso-Alonso is with the Center for the Study of Nutrition Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. S.C. Woods is with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. M. Pelchat and G.K. Beauchamp are with the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. P.S. Grigson is with the Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. E. Stice is with the Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA. S. Farooqi is with the Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. C.S. Khoo is with the North American Branch of the International Life Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, USA. R.D. Mattes is with the Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA. ckhoo@ilsi.org.
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alonso-Alonso
authors.affiliation: M. Alonso-Alonso is with the Center for the Study of Nutrition Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. S.C. Woods is with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. M. Pelchat and G.K. Beauchamp are with the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. P.S. Grigson is with the Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. E. Stice is with the Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA. S. Farooqi is with the Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. C.S. Khoo is with the North American Branch of the International Life Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, USA. R.D. Mattes is with the Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
authors.forename: Stephen C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.affiliation: M. Alonso-Alonso is with the Center for the Study of Nutrition Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. S.C. Woods is with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. M. Pelchat and G.K. Beauchamp are with the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. P.S. Grigson is with the Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. E. Stice is with the Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA. S. Farooqi is with the Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. C.S. Khoo is with the North American Branch of the International Life Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, USA. R.D. Mattes is with the Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
authors.forename: Marcia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pelchat
authors.affiliation: M. Alonso-Alonso is with the Center for the Study of Nutrition Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. S.C. Woods is with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. M. Pelchat and G.K. Beauchamp are with the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. P.S. Grigson is with the Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. E. Stice is with the Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA. S. Farooqi is with the Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. C.S. Khoo is with the North American Branch of the International Life Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, USA. R.D. Mattes is with the Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
authors.forename: Patricia Sue
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Grigson
authors.affiliation: M. Alonso-Alonso is with the Center for the Study of Nutrition Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. S.C. Woods is with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. M. Pelchat and G.K. Beauchamp are with the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. P.S. Grigson is with the Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. E. Stice is with the Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA. S. Farooqi is with the Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. C.S. Khoo is with the North American Branch of the International Life Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, USA. R.D. Mattes is with the Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Stice
authors.affiliation: M. Alonso-Alonso is with the Center for the Study of Nutrition Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. S.C. Woods is with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. M. Pelchat and G.K. Beauchamp are with the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. P.S. Grigson is with the Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. E. Stice is with the Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA. S. Farooqi is with the Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. C.S. Khoo is with the North American Branch of the International Life Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, USA. R.D. Mattes is with the Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
authors.forename: Sadaf
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Farooqi
authors.affiliation: M. Alonso-Alonso is with the Center for the Study of Nutrition Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. S.C. Woods is with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. M. Pelchat and G.K. Beauchamp are with the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. P.S. Grigson is with the Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. E. Stice is with the Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA. S. Farooqi is with the Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. C.S. Khoo is with the North American Branch of the International Life Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, USA. R.D. Mattes is with the Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
authors.forename: Chor San
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Khoo
authors.affiliation: M. Alonso-Alonso is with the Center for the Study of Nutrition Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. S.C. Woods is with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. M. Pelchat and G.K. Beauchamp are with the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. P.S. Grigson is with the Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. E. Stice is with the Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA. S. Farooqi is with the Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. C.S. Khoo is with the North American Branch of the International Life Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, USA. R.D. Mattes is with the Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
authors.forename: Richard D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Mattes
authors.affiliation: M. Alonso-Alonso is with the Center for the Study of Nutrition Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. S.C. Woods is with the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA. M. Pelchat and G.K. Beauchamp are with the Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. P.S. Grigson is with the Department of Neural and Behavioral Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania, USA. E. Stice is with the Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA. S. Farooqi is with the Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom. C.S. Khoo is with the North American Branch of the International Life Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, USA. R.D. Mattes is with the Department of Nutrition Science, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
authors.forename: Gary K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Beauchamp
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016739:Behavior, Addictive; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology; D066249:Craving; D004435:Eating / Q000523:psychology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005502:Food; D006801:Humans; D012201:Reward
keywords: addiction; craving; definitions; food reward system; palatable food; translational science