Hormonal
Higher adiposity (BMI) is positively associated with increased striatal dopamine tone in humans, as indicated by the differential displacement of low-affinity D2 receptor tracers.
This research suggests that higher body weight is associated with higher baseline (tonic) dopamine levels in the brain's reward centers. This may alter how rewarding food feels, potentially contributing to overeating. While this doesn't provide a direct 'fix,' it highlights that obesity is a neurochemical state, not just a willpower failure. Interventions might need to account for this altered reward sensitivity.
our results suggest that adiposity is positively associated with increased striatal dopamine tone.
Why this rating
High-quality controlled inpatient study with standardized diet and dual-tracer PET, but cross-sectional design limits causal inference.
Source
Striatal dopamine tone is positively associated with adiposity in humans as determined by PET using dual dopamine type-2 receptor antagonist tracers
Valerie L. Darcey et al. · Molecular Psychiatry · 2025
DOI 10.1038/s41380-025-02960-y
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