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Maeder AB, Bell AF, McFarlin BL, Park CG, Kominiarek MA, Toledo P, Carter CS, Nazarloo H, Vonderheid SC. Feasibility Study to Compare Oxytocin Function Between Body Mass Index Groups at Term Labor Induction. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 2024; 53:140-150. [PMID: 38012953 DOI: 10.1016/j.jogn.2023.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the feasibility of a protocol to examine the association between oxytocin system function and birth outcomes in women with and without obesity before induction of labor. DESIGN Prospective descriptive. SETTING Academic medical center in the U.S. Midwest. PARTICIPANTS Pregnant women scheduled for induction of labor at 40 weeks of gestation or greater (n = 15 normal weight; n = 15 obese). METHODS We collected blood samples and abstracted data by chart review. We used percentages to examine adherence to protocol. We used t tests and chi-square tests to describe differences in sample characteristics, oxytocin system function variables, and birth outcomes between the body mass index groups. RESULTS The recruitment rate was 85.7%, protocol adherence was 97.1%, and questionnaire completion was 80.0%. Mean plasma oxytocin concentration was higher in the obese group (M = 2774.4 pg/ml, SD = 797.4) than in the normal weight group (M = 2193.5 pg/ml, SD = 469.8). Oxytocin receptor DNA percentage methylation (CpG -934) was higher in the obese group than in the normal weight group. CONCLUSION Our protocol was feasible and can serve as a foundation for estimating sample sizes in forthcoming studies investigating the diversity in oxytocin system measurements and childbirth outcomes among pregnant women in different body mass index categories.
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Malewska-Kasprzak M, Jowik K, Tyszkiewicz-Nwafor M. The use of intranasal oxytocin in the treatment of eating disorders. Neuropeptides 2023; 102:102387. [PMID: 37837804 DOI: 10.1016/j.npep.2023.102387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Oxytocin (OXT) is a hypothalamic peptide that plays a number of roles in the body, being involved in labor and lactation, as well as cognitive-emotional processes and social behavior. In recent years, knowledge of the physiology of OXT has been repeatedly used to explore its potential role in the treatment of numerous diseases, identifying a significant role for OXT in appetite regulation, eating behavior, weight regulation, and food-related beliefs. In this review we provide an overview of publications on this topic, but due to the wealth of research, we have limited our focus to studies based on the use of intranasal OXT in psychiatric diseases, with a particular focus on the role of oxytocin in eating disorders and obesity. Accumulating evidence that OXT intranasal supplementation may provide some therapeutic benefit seems promising. In individuals with autistic spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia, OXT may affect core deficits, improving social cognition and reducing symptom severity in schizophrenia. Dysregulation of serum and CSF OXT levels, as well as polymorphisms of its genes, may affect emotion perception in patients with eating disorders and correlate with co-occurring depressive and anxiety disorders. Nevertheless, there are still many critical questions regarding the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of intranasal OXT that can only be answered in larger randomized controlled trials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Katarzyna Jowik
- Department of Psychiatry, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland.
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Aulinas A, Muhammed M, Becker KR, Asanza E, Hauser K, Stern C, Gydus J, Holmes T, Murray HB, Breithaupt L, Micali N, Misra M, Eddy KT, Thomas JJ, Lawson EA. Oxytocin response to food intake in avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder. Eur J Endocrinol 2023; 189:149-155. [PMID: 37474111 PMCID: PMC10396082 DOI: 10.1093/ejendo/lvad087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the response of anorexigenic oxytocin to food intake among adolescents and young adults with avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID), a restrictive eating disorder characterized by lack of interest in food or eating, sensory sensitivity to food, and/or fear of aversive consequences of eating, compared with healthy controls (HC). DESIGN Cross-sectional. METHODS A total of 109 participants (54 with ARFID spectrum and 55 HC) were instructed to eat a ∼400-kcal standardized mixed meal. We sampled serum oxytocin at fasting and at 30-, 60-, and 120-min postmeal. We tested the hypothesis that ARFID would show higher mean oxytocin levels across time points compared with HC using a mixed model ANOVA. We then used multivariate regression analysis to identify the impact of clinical characteristics (sex, age, and body mass index [BMI] percentile) on oxytocin levels in individuals with ARFID. RESULTS Participants with ARFID exhibited greater mean oxytocin levels at all time points compared with HC, and these differences remained significant even after controlling for sex and BMI percentile (P = .004). Clinical variables (sex, age, and BMI percentile) did not show any impact on fasting and postprandial oxytocin levels among individuals with ARFID. CONCLUSIONS Consistently high oxytocin levels might be involved in low appetite and sensory aversions to food, contributing to food avoidance in individuals with ARFID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Aulinas
- Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, IIB-Sant Pau, 08041 Barcelona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER Unidad 747), ISCIII, 08025 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Vic—Central University of Catalonia, 08500 Vic, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Maged Muhammed
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kendra R Becker
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 02115 Boston, MA, United States
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Elisa Asanza
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kristine Hauser
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Casey Stern
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Julia Gydus
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Tara Holmes
- Translational and Clinical Research Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Helen Burton Murray
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 02115 Boston, MA, United States
- Center for Neurointestinal Health, Division of Gastroenterology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Lauren Breithaupt
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 02115 Boston, MA, United States
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nadia Micali
- Eating Disorders Research Unit, Mental Health Services of the Capital Region of Denmark, Psychiatric Centre Ballerup, 2750 Ballerup, Denmark
- Population, Policy and Practice, Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health, University College London, WC1N 1EH, London, United Kingdom
| | - Madhusmita Misra
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 02115 Boston, MA, United States
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Kamryn T Eddy
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 02115 Boston, MA, United States
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jennifer J Thomas
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 02115 Boston, MA, United States
- Eating Disorders Clinical and Research Program, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
| | - Elizabeth A Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Division of Endocrinology, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, 02114 Boston, MA, United States
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, 02115 Boston, MA, United States
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Wittekind DA, Kratzsch J, Mergl R, Baber R, Wirkner K, Schroeter ML, Witte AV, Villringer A, Kluge M. Leptin, but not ghrelin, is associated with food addiction scores in a population-based subject sample. Front Psychiatry 2023; 14:1200021. [PMID: 37559914 PMCID: PMC10407557 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1200021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ghrelin and leptin are both peptide hormones and act as opposing players in the regulation of hunger, satiety and energy expenditure. Leptin reduces appetite and feelings of hunger and is secreted mainly by adipocytes, while ghrelin increases appetite and food intake and reduces metabolic rate. Both hormones have been implicated in addictive disorders. Ghrelin was shown to have pro-addictive effects while leptin's role in addiction yields more conflicting results. Their involvement in the regulation of both food intake and addictive behaviors make them interesting candidates when investigating the regulation of food addiction. However, only few human studies have been performed and large-scale studies are lacking to date. We aimed to investigate the association between total ghrelin and leptin serum levels with scores in the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS). METHODS Subjects were recruited in the LIFE Adult cohort. 909 subjects were included in the analysis and we performed univariate multiple linear regression models, adjusted for age, sex (in total group analyses only), alcohol consumption, smoking status, BMI scores, cortisol concentrations, Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7) sum scores. The dependent variable was the YFAS score. RESULTS In men, leptin serum levels showed a significant positive association (standardized β = 0.146; p = 0.012) with the YFAS score. This finding was confirmed in an extreme-group comparison: men in the highest quartile of leptin levels had significantly higher YFAS sum scores than men in the lowest quartile (1.55 vs. 1.18; p = 0.00014). There was no association with YFAS sum score in the total group (standardized β = -0.002; p = 0.974) or in women (standardized β = -0.034; p = 0.674). Total serum ghrelin showed no association with YFAS sum score neither in the total group (standardized β = -0.043; p = 0.196) nor in men (n = 530; standardized β = -0.063; p = 0.135) or women (n = 379; standardized β = -0.035; p = 0.494). CONCLUSION Our findings are in line with previous literature and suggest that total ghrelin serum levels are not associated with food addiction scores. Leptin had been previously shown to be associated with food addiction and we confirmed this finding for men in a large, population-based approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Alexander Wittekind
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jürgen Kratzsch
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Roland Mergl
- Institute of Psychology, University of the Bundeswehr Munich, Neubiberg, Germany
| | - Ronny Baber
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases (LIFE), University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kerstin Wirkner
- Leipzig Research Center for Civilization Diseases (LIFE), University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matthias L. Schroeter
- Department of Neurology, Clinic of Cognitive Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - A. Veronica Witte
- Department of Neurology, Clinic of Cognitive Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Arno Villringer
- Department of Neurology, Clinic of Cognitive Neurology, Max Planck Institute for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Michael Kluge
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Rudolf-Virchow-Klinikum Glauchau, Glauchau, Germany
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Römer SS, Bliokas V, Teo JT, Thomas SJ. Food addiction, hormones and blood biomarkers in humans: A systematic literature review. Appetite 2023; 183:106475. [PMID: 36716820 DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.106475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food addiction may play a role in rising obesity rates in connection with obesogenic environments and processed food availability, however the concept of food addiction remains controversial. While animal studies show evidence for addictive processes in relation to processed foods, most human studies are psychologically focussed and there is a need to better understand evidence for biological mechanisms of food addiction in humans. Several key hormones are implicated in models of food addiction, due to their key roles in feeding, energy metabolism, stress and addictive behaviours. This systematic literature review examines evidence for relationships between food addiction, hormones and other blood biomarkers. METHODS A series of literature searches was performed in Scopus, PsychInfo, MedLine, ProQuest, CINAHL and Web of Science. A total of 3111 articles were found, of which 1045 were duplicates. Articles were included if they contained a psychometric measurement of food addiction, such as the Yale Food Addiction Scale, as well as addressed the association between FA and hormones or blood biomarkers in humans. Articles were assessed for eligibility by two independent reviewers. RESULTS Sixteen studies were identified that examined relationships between food addiction and blood biomarkers, published between 2015 and 2021. Significant findings were reported for leptin, ghrelin, cortisol, insulin and glucose, oxytocin, cholesterol, plasma dopamine, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), triglyceride (TG), amylin, tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF- α) and cholecystokinin (CCK). Methodological issues included small sample sizes and variation in obesity status, sex and mental health-related comorbidities. Due to methodological limitations, definite connections between FA, hormones and other blood biomarkers cannot yet be determined. CONCLUSION This systematic review identified preliminary evidence linking FA symptoms to hormones and other blood biomarkers related to feeding, addiction, and stress. However, due to the small number of studies and methodological limitations, further research is needed to evaluate biopsychosocial models of FA and to resolve controversies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Sophie Römer
- School of Psychology, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Australia.
| | - Vida Bliokas
- School of Psychology, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Australia; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, 2522, Australia.
| | - Jillian Terese Teo
- School of Psychology, Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Australia.
| | - Susan J Thomas
- Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, University of Wollongong, 2522, Australia; Graduate School of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Australia.
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Whatnall M, Clarke E, Collins CE, Pursey K, Burrows T. Ultra-processed food intakes associated with ‘food addiction’ in young adults. Appetite 2022; 178:106260. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2022.106260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Goh KK, Chen CYA, Wu TH, Chen CH, Lu ML. Crosstalk between Schizophrenia and Metabolic Syndrome: The Role of Oxytocinergic Dysfunction. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23137092. [PMID: 35806096 PMCID: PMC9266532 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23137092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in persons with schizophrenia has spurred investigational efforts to study the mechanism beneath its pathophysiology. Early psychosis dysfunction is present across multiple organ systems. On this account, schizophrenia may be a multisystem disorder in which one organ system is predominantly affected and where other organ systems are also concurrently involved. Growing evidence of the overlapping neurobiological profiles of metabolic risk factors and psychiatric symptoms, such as an association with cognitive dysfunction, altered autonomic nervous system regulation, desynchrony in the resting-state default mode network, and shared genetic liability, suggest that metabolic syndrome and schizophrenia are connected via common pathways that are central to schizophrenia pathogenesis, which may be underpinned by oxytocin system dysfunction. Oxytocin, a hormone that involves in the mechanisms of food intake and metabolic homeostasis, may partly explain this piece of the puzzle in the mechanism underlying this association. Given its prosocial and anorexigenic properties, oxytocin has been administered intranasally to investigate its therapeutic potential in schizophrenia and obesity. Although the pathophysiology and mechanisms of oxytocinergic dysfunction in metabolic syndrome and schizophrenia are both complex and it is still too early to draw a conclusion upon, oxytocinergic dysfunction may yield a new mechanistic insight into schizophrenia pathogenesis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kah Kheng Goh
- Department of Psychiatry, Wan-Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan; (K.K.G.); (C.Y.-A.C.); (C.-H.C.)
- Psychiatric Research Center, Wan-Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan;
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Cynthia Yi-An Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Wan-Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan; (K.K.G.); (C.Y.-A.C.); (C.-H.C.)
- Psychiatric Research Center, Wan-Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan;
| | - Tzu-Hua Wu
- Psychiatric Research Center, Wan-Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan;
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hsin Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Wan-Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan; (K.K.G.); (C.Y.-A.C.); (C.-H.C.)
- Psychiatric Research Center, Wan-Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan;
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Mong-Liang Lu
- Department of Psychiatry, Wan-Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan; (K.K.G.); (C.Y.-A.C.); (C.-H.C.)
- Psychiatric Research Center, Wan-Fang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 116, Taiwan;
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
- Correspondence:
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The Relationship between Addictive Eating and Dietary Intake: A Systematic Review. Nutrients 2021; 14:nu14010164. [PMID: 35011039 PMCID: PMC8747081 DOI: 10.3390/nu14010164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Research suggests that certain foods may have addictive effects; however, no reviews have systematically appraised studies in this area. The aims of this review were to determine the nutrients, foods and dietary patterns associated with addictive eating. (2) Methods: Published studies up to November 2020 were identified through searches of 6 electronic databases. Eligible studies included those in in children and adults that reported dietary intakes of individuals with 'food addiction'. (3) Results: Fifteen studies (n = 12 in adults and n = 3 in children/adolescents with Yale Food Addiction Scale defined 'food addiction') were included. Foods commonly associated with addictive eating were those high in a combination of fat and refined carbohydrates. Generally, intakes of energy, carbohydrates and fats were significantly higher in individuals with addictive eating compared to those without. (4) Conclusions: Due to the heterogeneity in study methodologies and outcomes across included studies, it is difficult to conclude if any specific foods, nutrients or dietary patterns facilitate an addictive process. Further research is needed to elucidate potential associations. However, present addictive eating treatment approaches could incorporate individualised dietary advice targeting foods high in fat and refined carbohydrates.
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Kerem L, Lawson EA. The Effects of Oxytocin on Appetite Regulation, Food Intake and Metabolism in Humans. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:7737. [PMID: 34299356 PMCID: PMC8306733 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22147737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 07/13/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamic peptide oxytocin and its receptor are involved in a range of physiological processes, including parturition, lactation, cell growth, wound healing, and social behavior. More recently, increasing evidence has established the effects of oxytocin on food intake, energy expenditure, and peripheral metabolism. In this review, we provide a comprehensive description of the central oxytocinergic system in which oxytocin acts to shape eating behavior and metabolism. Next, we discuss the peripheral beneficial effects oxytocin exerts on key metabolic organs, including suppression of visceral adipose tissue inflammation, skeletal muscle regeneration, and bone tissue mineralization. A brief summary of oxytocin actions learned from animal models is presented, showing that weight loss induced by chronic oxytocin treatment is related not only to its anorexigenic effects, but also to the resulting increase in energy expenditure and lipolysis. Following an in-depth discussion on the technical challenges related to endogenous oxytocin measurements in humans, we synthesize data related to the association between endogenous oxytocin levels, weight status, metabolic syndrome, and bone health. We then review clinical trials showing that in humans, acute oxytocin administration reduces food intake, attenuates fMRI activation of food motivation brain areas, and increases activation of self-control brain regions. Further strengthening the role of oxytocin in appetite regulation, we review conditions of hypothalamic insult and certain genetic pathologies associated with oxytocin depletion that present with hyperphagia, extreme weight gain, and poor metabolic profile. Intranasal oxytocin is currently being evaluated in human clinical trials to learn whether oxytocin-based therapeutics can be used to treat obesity and its associated sequela. At the end of this review, we address the fundamental challenges that remain in translating this line of research to clinical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liya Kerem
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA;
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Elizabeth A. Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA;
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Prevalence and correlates of food addiction: Systematic review of studies with the YFAS 2.0. Obes Res Clin Pract 2021; 15:191-204. [PMID: 33846067 DOI: 10.1016/j.orcp.2021.03.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Research on food addiction (FA) has been growing and increasing interest has been seen in comprehending its mechanisms and clinical and psychological correlates of this phenomena. This field of study is specially apply to understand obesity and eating behavior issues related to eating disorders (ED). OBJECTIVES We performed a literature review that describe recent research using the updated version of the Yale Food Addiction Scale (YFAS 2.0) or modified-YFAS (mYFAS 2.0), from the date of its publication. METHODS Search were performed in Web of Science, Pubmed and PsycNET databases for studies that used the YFAS 2.0 and mYFAS 2.0. RESULTS The studies (n = 53) investigated adaptation and validation of the scale in different cultures (n = 13), prevalence on nonclinical populations and representative samples (n = 5), food addiction in obesity samples (n = 11), in samples with ED and disordered eating (n = 10) and studies that investigated FA in association with other clinical and psychological variables (n = 14). DISCUSSION Studies with the YFAS 2.0 reveal higher prevalence of FA in different samples, and a great association between FA and BED, BN and obesity. Implications for diagnostic of this phenomena and the overlap between FA and other disorders are discussed. CONCLUSIONS The field of FA remains an open subject and effort must be implied to understand the subjective experience of addiction related to eating and food.
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Abstract
The hypothalamic peptide oxytocin has been increasingly recognized as a hormone and neurotransmitter with important effects on energy intake, metabolism, and body weight and is under investigation as a potential novel therapeutic agent for obesity. The main neurons producing oxytocin and expressing the oxytocin receptor are strategically located in brain areas known to be critically involved in homeostatic energy balance as well as hedonic and motivational aspects of eating behavior. In this chapter, we will review the central and peripheral physiology of oxytocin and the interaction of oxytocin with key hormones and neural circuitries that affect food intake and metabolism. Next, we will synthesize the available data on endogenous oxytocin levels related to caloric intake, body weight, and metabolic status. We will then review the effects of exogenous oxytocin administration on eating behavior, body weight, and metabolism in humans, including in healthy individuals as well as specific populations with suspected perturbations involving oxytocin pathways. Finally, we will address the promise and fundamental challenges of translating this line of research to clinical care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liya Kerem
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States; Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital for Children, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Elizabeth A Lawson
- Neuroendocrine Unit, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States.
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