title: [Eating behavior in pediatric obesity: Of the advantages of combining the neurobiological and neuropsychological approaches].
abstract: Obesity is currently considered a major public health concern, as shown by the growing number of people with excess weight, alarmingly in infants, and despite medical care. Many studies have underlined the reasons for medical care failure caused by an inability to sustain a resistant behavior towards palatable food (high sugar and fat content). Hence, previous research has highlighted connections between excessive eating behavior and the activity of neurotransmitters in brain areas involved in affective behavior and the reward circuit. Reduction of the dopaminergic activity in the prefrontal orbital and limbic cortex may raise the question of executive skills, which play a major role in social adaptation and behavior control. These findings remind us of the need to grasp environmental and behavioral factors to better identify cognitive and affective profiles and improve childhood obesity treatment.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de psychologie des Pays-de-la-Loire, EA4638, université d'Angers, 11, boulevard Lavoisier, 49045 Angers cedex 01, France. Electronic address: bertrand.schoentgen@univ-angers.fr.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schoentgen
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de psychologie des Pays-de-la-Loire, EA4638, université d'Angers, 11, boulevard Lavoisier, 49045 Angers cedex 01, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lancelot
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de psychologie des Pays-de-la-Loire, EA4638, université d'Angers, 11, boulevard Lavoisier, 49045 Angers cedex 01, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Le Gall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000503:physiopathology; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology; D056344:Executive Function / Q000502:physiology; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000502:physiology / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D000070516:Intersectoral Collaboration; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000503:physiopathology; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000502:physiology; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D012201:Reward; D012931:Social Environment; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D004298:Dopamine