Preclinical models of stress and environmental influences on binge eating

Preclinical models cannot explain all of the complex internal and external factors that influence eating behaviors in humans. Still, they represent an essential tool to investigate the underlying neuro- and psychobiology implicated in disorders that are associated with binge eating. Several environmental conditions induce aberrant feeding behavior on calorie-dense food in animal models of binge eating. Various kinds of stress (acute or chronic), the combination of repeated cycles of food restriction and refeeding plus stress, food deprivation, and limited access to palatable food have been used to elicit binge-like eating episodes to model human behaviors. Animal studies have revealed the involvement of different neurotransmitter pathways, especially dopamine, opioids, CRF, serotonin, orexin, and GABAergic systems in binge-like eating. They may aid in the ultimate goal of identifying novel, safe, and effective therapeutic targets.