There is an emerging view that the increased availability of energy-dense foods in our society is contributing to excessive food consumption which could lead to food addiction-like behavior. Particularly, compulsive eating patterns are predominant in people suffering from eating disorders (binge-eating disorder, bulimia and anorexia nervosa) and obesity. Phenotypically, the behavioral pattern exhibits a close resemblance to individuals suffering from other forms of addiction (drug, sex, gambling). Growing body of evidence in neuroscience research is showing that excessive consumption of energy-dense foods alters the brain circuits implicated in reward, decision-making, control, habit formation, and emotions that are central to drug addiction. Here, we review the current understanding of the circuits of food addiction-like behaviors and highlight the future possibility of exploring those circuits to combat obesity and eating disorders.

有一种新的观点认为，我们社会中能量密集食品的供应增加正在导致过度食品消费，从而可能导致类似食物成瘾的行为。特别是，强迫性饮食模式在患有饮食失调（暴食症、暴食症和神经性厌食症）和肥胖症的人群中占主导地位。从表型上看，行为模式与患有其他形式成瘾（毒品、性、赌博）的个体非常相似。神经科学研究中越来越多的证据表明，过量食用高能量食物会改变与奖励、决策、控制、习惯形成和情绪有关的大脑回路，而这些都是毒瘾的核心。在这里，我们回顾了目前对食物成瘾样行为回路的理解，并强调了探索这些回路来对抗肥胖和饮食失调的未来可能性。