Understanding how obesity affects dopamine and eating behavior
Official title: Visualizing obesity-induced changes in dopamine reinforcement
Funded at Queens College · NIH-10291445 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how being overweight might change the way our brains use dopamine, a chemical that helps control our eating habits, to better understand why some people may struggle with overeating.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R15 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Queens College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Flushing, United States) |
| Project start | July 15, 2021 |
| Project end | June 30, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2021 |
| Award (this year) | $462,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R15DA052871-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10291445 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are individuals struggling with obesity or those who experience compulsive eating behaviors.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have issues related to obesity or eating behaviors may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates the relationship between obesity and dopamine function, focusing on how changes in dopamine signaling may contribute to compulsive eating behaviors. By observing dopamine activity in awake, behaving animals, the study aims to clarify how obesity alters dopamine's role in reinforcing food consumption. The approach involves using advanced optical techniques to visualize dopamine changes during specific behavioral tasks related to eating. This could provide valuable insights into the mechanisms behind obesity and overeating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to new strategies for treating obesity by targeting the underlying dopamine-related mechanisms of overeating.
How similar studies have gone: While the role of dopamine in obesity has been studied, this specific approach of directly observing dopamine signaling in relation to behavior is relatively novel and has not been extensively tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Queens College
Flushing, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Beeler, Jeff a. — Queens College
- Study coordinator: Beeler, Jeff a.
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.