Sugar Can Be Addictive As Drugs, Study Says
Tests In Animals Find How Sugar Works In Brain
POSTED: Wednesday, December 10, 2008
  |
Sugar can act on the brain like an addictive drug, according to new research.Bart Hoebel of the Princeton Neuroscience Institute has found that rats increase intake when allowed and go through withdrawal when they can't get any, according to a news release. But the latest work indicates that they also crave sugar, a third indicator of addiction."If bingeing on sugar is really a form of addiction, there should be long-lasting effects in the brains of sugar addicts," Hoebel said. "Craving and relapse are critical components of addiction, and we have been able to demonstrate these behaviors in sugar-bingeing rats in a number of ways."Animals that were taught to binge on sugar then worked harder to get it when it was reintroduced. They consumed more than before, which Hoebel said shows craving and relapse.Also, the rats drank more alcohol than normal after their sugar supply was cut off, showing that the bingeing behavior had forged changes in brain function. They were also more sensitive to amphetamine.Hoebel will present the research to American College of Neuropsychopharmacology and submit it to the Journal of Nutrition, which means it has not yet been reviewed by his peers.
Distributed by Internet Broadcasting. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
-
-
Pain Meds Riskier Than Pot, Students Say
2:16 P.M. GMT september 3, 2008 2:20 P.M. GMT september 3, 2008
The views expressed are not those of Click2Houston.com, KPRC or its affiliated companies. This is a community moderated forum. (Please note the 'Like' and 'Report' tabs.) By posting your comments you agree to accept our Terms of Use.
blog comments powered by Disqus
A man is wanted after he kicked a front door off its hinges and shot a woman, KPRC Local 2 reports.
A 19-year-old is accused of using a stolen gun to shoot a Houston police officer who was trying to stop a burglary, KPRC Local 2 reports.
An Indiana man trying to take a shortcut through the Colorado mountains got stuck for three days with only some Mountain Dew.
A man tells his family he got into a physical altercation with his girlfriend, drops off their child and flees before her body is found, investigators tell KPRC Local 2.
Three men pose as police officers to get a businessman into the car to rob him, police tell KPRC Local 2.
Feb. 9, 2010: A man is accused of using a stolen gun to shoot a Houston police officer who was trying to stop a burglary. Mariza Reyes reports.
Feb. 9, 2010: Local 2 investigates florists. Are you getting what you paid for? Amy Davis reports.
Anthony Yanez
February 8, 2010: Charles Barkley joined Randy McIlvoy via satellite to talk about the 2010 NBA All-Star game and the Rockets.
Feb. 8, 2010: A METRO bus hits a light-rail train in downtown Houston, injuring nine people and knocking the train off the tracks, KPRC Local 2 reports.
Check out our slideshow forecast to find out how long the chilly temperatures will stick around.
A police officer is shot in northwest Houston, KPRC Local 2 reports.
A METRO bus and a light-rail train collide in downtown Houston.
It has been 25 years since the debut of the hit comedy "The Breakfast Club" in theaters. What are the stars of the film up to today?
Email Alerts
RSS News Feeds
Mobile
Live Streams
Slideshows
Video
Search
