Neuroendocrine Responses to Hedonic Eating in Obese Patients with and Without Binge Eating

Abstract

Introduction Hedonic eating refers to the consumption of food uniquely because of its gustatory rewarding properties and not for homeostatic needs; so the subject eats also when not in a state of energy depletion. Hedonic eating may stimulate powerfully food intake; hence, understanding its physiological modulation could improve our knowledge of the pathophysiology of obesity. Furthermore, obese people often present binge-eating behaviours, and binge-eating is experienced as rewarding. Endocannabinoids, including anandamide (AEA) and 2- arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), and endocannabinoid-related compounds, oleoylethanolamide (OEA) and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), are involved in the modulation of food-related reward. Objectives and Aims Therefore, in the present study we aimed to investigate the responses of endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid-related compounds to hedonic eating in obese patients with and without binge eating disorder (BED). Methods Peripheral levels of AEA, 2-AG, OEA and PEA were measured in 7 obese patients with BED and 7 obese patients without BED after eating hedonic and non-hedonic food, and compared to those of normal weight healthy controls. Results Peripheral levels of endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid-related compounds exhibited different response patterns to hedonic eating among the groups. Conclusions These data confirm the role of endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid-related compounds in food-related reward and suggest a dysregulation of their physiology in obesity and in the BED. These findings may have potential relevance to the prevention and treatment of obesity and BED.