Obesity is associated with high serotonin 4 receptor availability in the brain reward circuitry

M. E. Haahr, Peter Mondrup Rasmussen, K. Madsen, L. Marner, C. Ratner, N. Gillings, W. F. C. Baaré, G. M. Knudsen

    Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

    Abstract

    The neurobiology underlying obesity is not fully understood. The neurotransmitter serotonin (5-HT) is established as a satiety-generating signal, but its rewarding role in feeding is less well elucidated. From animal experiments there is now evidence that the 5-HT4 receptor (5-HT4R) is involved in food intake, and that pharmacological or genetic manipulation of the receptor in reward-related brain areas alters food intake.Here, we used positron emission tomography in humans to examine the association between cerebral 5-HT4Rs and common obesity.We found in humans a strong positive association between body mass index and the 5-HT4R density bilaterally in the two reward ‘hot spots’ nucleus accumbens and ventral pallidum, and additionally in the left hippocampal region and orbitofrontal cortex.These findings suggest that the 5-HT4R is critically involved in reward circuits that regulate people's food intake. They also suggest that pharmacological stimulation of the cerebral 5-HT4R may reduce reward-related overeating in humans.
    Original languageEnglish
    JournalNeuroImage
    Volume61
    Issue number4
    Pages (from-to)884-888
    ISSN1053-8119
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 2012

    Keywords

    • PET
    • Serotonin 4 receptor
    • Neuroimaging
    • Obesity
    • Reward

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