The Addicted Brain: How Processed Foods Hijack Reward Pathways
Pharmacological Research
January 2026; epub
Kaylee Hough, Marzia Friuli, Nicole M. Avena, Adele Romano: from the Icahn School of Medicine, and the University, Rome, Italy.
“This review explores the hypothesis that food addiction shares common clinical and neurochemical mechanisms with traditional forms of addiction, drawing from DSM-5 diagnostic criteria and recent findings in neuropharmacology.”
“This review underscores the need to reframe UPFs [ultra-processed foods] as potentially addictive agents and calls for integrative therapeutic strategies and policy-driven reforms aimed at mitigating their impact on public health.”
KEY POINTS FROM THIS ARTICLE:
1) “The concept of addiction, traditionally confined to substances such as drugs and alcohol, has expanded to encompass behavioral patterns such as compulsive eating.”
2) “Ultra-processed foods (UPFs), particularly those high in refined sugars and saturated fats, may elicit neurobiological responses akin to those observed in substance use disorders.” [Key Point]
3) “Animal and human studies have demonstrated that excessive consumption of palatable foods can induce behaviors characteristic of addiction—bingeing, craving, tolerance, and withdrawal—accompanied by significant dopaminergic alterations within the mesolimbic reward circuitry.” [Key Points]
4) “Neuroimaging and molecular studies further reveal that chronic overconsumption of UPFs alters dopaminergic tone, disrupts prefrontal control, and activates stress pathways, thereby reinforcing compulsive intake.”
5) “The American Society of Addiction Medicine defines addiction as a ‘chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain, circuits, genetics, the environment, and the individual’s life experiences.’”
- “Addiction arises when a person becomes mentally and/or physically reliant on or compelled to consume a certain substance.”
6) “Compulsive behaviors—beyond the use of drugs or alcohol—can meet the diagnostic criteria within the DSM-5 for addiction.”
7) “Highly palatable, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may trigger neurobiological responses similar to those induced by addictive substances like drugs and alcohol.”
8) “Food is a biological necessity sustaining metabolic homeostasis, and its intake is fundamentally regulated by hunger signals, nutrient sensing, and gut-brain communication.”
- “This homeostatic regulation contrasts with the consumption of ultra-processed, hyper-palatable products that are specifically designed to enhance hedonic value.”
- “These formulations combine energy-dense macronutrient profiles with additives and sensory cues that disproportionately activate central pathways, increasing incentive salience and promoting intake beyond physiological requirements.”
9) “[Ultraprocessed foods are] engineered high-reward foods rather than food as an essential substrate for survival.”
- “As UPFs have become increasingly accessible worldwide, the role of eating appears to have shifted from sustaining survival to fostering patterns of overconsumption and compulsive eating.”
10) “Repeated, excessive sugar consumption can induce neurobiological and behavioral changes that closely resemble the effects of substance abuse.”
11) “Although food is not currently listed as an addictive substance in the DSM-5, studies over the past two decades indicate that highly palatable, ultra-processed foods (UPFs) may trigger neurobiological responses similar to those induced by addictive substances like drugs and alcohol.”
12) With chronic substance use, natural rewards become less pleasurable, and reminders of past substance use are powerful triggers for relapse.
13) “Repeated stimulation of the dopaminergic system in the nucleus accumbens by a stimulus (drugs, alcohol, or highly palatable, ultra-processed food items) shifts signaling to the dorso-striatal dopaminergic pathways—resulting in habit formation.”
- “Repeated exposure to highly palatable, ultra-processed foods may engage addiction-related neurocircuitry—shifting neural signaling from reward-driven to habit- driven pathways, reducing top-down inhibitory control, and promoting compulsive patterns of intake that parallel those observed in substance use disorders.” [Key Point]
14) “UPFs contain minimal whole foods and are generally ready-to- eat food choices, such as packaged chips, cookies, donuts, and frozen pizza—items that are often consumed daily.”
15) “Children, in particular, are consuming UPFs at increasingly high rates, often replacing more nutritious choices like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.”
16) When UPFs are eaten frequently, “they can lead to serious health issues over time, including obesity, compulsive eating behaviors, and chronic diseases.” [Key]
- Processed foods include canned goods, cheeses, and freshly baked breads.
- UPFs include soft drinks, packaged snacks, and frozen meals.
17) “Bingeing occurs whenever an individual undergoes a period of uncontrolled eating behaviors.”
- “Binge-eating disorder [BED] is recognized by the DSM-5.”
- “In bingeing episodes, individuals typically indulge in ultra-processed, highly palatable food items.”
- “Binge eating disorder and food addiction share overlapping neurobiological substrates, particularly in brain regions involved in reward processing, impulse control, and homeostatic regulation.”
18) Dopamine:
- “Dopamine is a neurotransmitter and hormone that is widely known as the ‘feel-good’ neurotransmitter due to its role in connecting pleasurable feelings to behaviors.”
- “Dopamine neurons typically fire in a steady, low-frequency mode whenever they are at rest; however, whenever they have exposure to a stimulant, dopamine neurons fire with high frequency—producing high extracellular dopamine concentrations.”
- “Whenever humans engage in healthy rewards, such as listening to music, interacting with loved ones, or enjoying a home-cooked meal, small bursts of [dopamine] are released, resulting in pleasurable feelings to reinforce those behaviors. This neurochemical reinforcement helps the brain identify such behaviors as valuable and promotes their repetition, thereby contributing to habit formation. In contrast, the use of drugs and alcohol trigger abnormally high dopamine release, producing exaggerated sensations of pleasure. Complications, including the development of addiction, arise when substances produce intense feelings of elation due to large bursts of dopamine release—further reinforcing maladaptive behaviors.”
- “A well-known hallmark of drug and alcohol addiction is the ability of a substance to promote extracellular increases of dopamine in the brain.”
- “Dopamine plays a critical role in the neurobiological mechanisms influencing food cravings, decision-making, executive function, and impulsivity, all factors associated with binge eating behaviors.”
- Similar patterns of dopaminergic activation are observed in response to highly palatable foods, in binge eating disorder (BED) and food addiction; they are “neurobiologically and behaviorally overlapping conditions.”
- Repeated sucrose exposure releases dopamine in the nucleus accumbens.
- “Chronic overconsumption of highly palatable foods can lead to neuroadaptations in the dopamine system, such as sustained dopamine release and receptor downregulation, reinforcing maladaptive eating behaviors and contributing to obesity.”
- “Exposure to a diet rich in highly palatable foods can result in an increased activation of dopamine in the brain.”
- Consuming highly palatable UPFs containing sugar triggers a “surge in dopamine release—which may contribute to the addictive nature of these foods.”
19) Obesity
- “Obesity is a public health issue and epidemic occurring within the United States in more than 2 in 5 adults.”
- Overindulgence in food is the leading causes of obesity in the United States.
- “Obesity and food addiction may be interconnected not just through behavioral patterns, but also through shared neurochemical and neuroanatomical mechanisms rooted in dopaminergic dysfunction.”
- “The overconsumption of UPFs is a crisis as the obesity epidemic continues to grow.”
- “It is likely that many individuals who are obese may have experienced food addiction.”
20) “More than 53 million Americans (17%) lived in food deserts where they had little to no access to supermarkets or grocery stores in 2019.”
- “Food deserts are often characterized by an abundance of small convenience stores and vendors stocked primarily with ultra-processed foods, while offering little to no access to fresh, nutritious, whole food options.”
21) “Presently, more than half of the calories consumed in the average American’s household is comprised of UPFs.”
- “The United States food system is dominated by UPF items.”
22) Conclusions:
- “Ultra-processed highly palatable foods hijack the brain’s mesolimbic dopaminergic system, leading to behaviors that prompt the repetitive, excessive consumption of ultra-processed foods.”
- “Whenever the chronic consumption of these highly palatable foods persists, it has the ability to alter the brain’s reward system and contribute to dependence on food.”
- “The current food market that is saturated with UPFs and the behaviors that prompt their consumption have contributed to a rise in obesity and overweight individuals and instances of chronic disease states.”
23) Recommendations:
- “Developing and enforcing policies aimed at curbing the consumption of ultra-processed foods and enhancing consumer education could prove highly effective in promoting healthier dietary habits.” [Important]
- “Expanding access to fresh, whole foods and ensuring the availability of well-stocked grocery stores can empower low-income families to maintain a healthier, more nutritious diet.”
We have reviewed these articles pertaining to ultra-processed foods:
Article Review 38-24:
Implications of Ultraprocessed Food Addiction
Article Review 13-25:
Ultraprocessed Food Intake and Psoriasis
Also, the entire November 18, 2025, issue of the journal THE LANCET is dedicated to Ultraprocessed foods.
