sep
2021
Online
The role of Appetitive Gut Hormones in addiction processes will be covered, where both preclinical and clinical studies will be introduced.
The rewarding properties of natural and chemical reinforcers are mediated via multiple and complex pathways in the brain. However, common neurobiological mechanisms underlie various forms of addictive behaviour, including alcohol use disorder and compulsive overeating. This raises the possibility that the gut hormones that signal nutritional status and regulate food intake may play an important role in regulating reward and in developing addiction. The selected speakers will present novel data showing that the role of the appetite-regulating gut-brain hormones, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), amylin and ghrelin, extends beyond homeostatic regulation of food intake to include reward-seeking behaviour and reinforcement.
This translational symposium will gather leading but also younger researchers within this field, who will address the topic from the bench to bedside. They will together present and discuss recent advances within their own fields and will encourage discussions between the disciplines. First, data from preclinical studies will be presented, showing that the gut-brain peptides regulate reinforcement for food and subsequently also reinforcement for drugs of abuse. Then the results from clinical investigations will be shown, reporting that these gut-brain peptides modulate the activity of reward-related areas and the consumption of rewards. Studying these processes may present an opportunity to identify and investigate novel treatment targets for addictive disorders.