Ghrelin is Related to Personality Differences in Reward Sensitivity and Impulsivity

Ralevski, Elizabeth; Shanabrough, Marya; Newcomb, Jenelle; Gandelman, Erin; Hayden, Ryan; Horváth, Tamas L.; Petrakis, Ismene L.

doi:10.1093/alcalc/agx082

Cited by 38 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…They also found that higher ghrelin levels were furthermore related to certain aspects of impulsivity such as decreased self‐control and increased likelihood of acting without thinking (Ralevski et al . ). In demonstrating that the association between ghrelin plasma concentrations and alcohol craving is mediated by mesolimbic cue reactivity, our results suggest that endogenous ghrelin influences craving via changes in mesolimbic brain activation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Ghrelin modulates mesolimbic reactivity to alcohol cues in alcohol‐addicted subjects: a functional imaging study

et al. 2018

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Ghrelin has been shown to be involved in the pathophysiology of alcohol dependence, affecting alcohol self-administration and craving. However, the mechanism of action in alcohol dependence still has to be determined. We thus investigated whether ghrelin is associated with mesolimbic cue reactivity to alcohol cues and alcohol craving in recently detoxified alcohol-addicted subjects. We included 41 recently detoxified alcohol-dependent individuals. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to study mesolimbic cue reactivity during the presentation of alcohol-related pictures. Additionally, we assessed patients' alcohol craving using the Alcohol Urge Questionnaire and a visual analogue scale. Plasma concentrations of total and acylated (activated) ghrelin were measured in parallel to the fMRI session. The association between ghrelin plasma concentrations, mesolimbic cue reactivity and alcohol craving was assessed by performing correlation and mediation analyses. Alcohol-induced brain response in a network of brain clusters, including the right and left ventral striatum, showed a significant positive association with acylated ghrelin plasma concentration. Additionally, acylated ghrelin was significantly associated with craving. Mediation analyses showed that the association between acylated ghrelin plasma concentration and alcohol craving is mediated by a cue-induced brain response in the ventral striatum. Based on the finding that ghrelin modulates mesolimbic reactivity to alcohol cues, the following should be considered: If alcohol craving and the appetitive status were interrelated, this has to be taken into account when implementing fMRI studies for addictive disorders. Moreover, appetite regulation seems to represent a valid treatment target for reducing cue reactivity in addictive disorders.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Ghrelin modulates mesolimbic reactivity to alcohol cues in alcohol‐addicted subjects: a functional imaging study

et al. 2018

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“…The authors demonstrated that ghrelin may augment hedonic and incentive responses to influence food intake. Individuals with higher ghrelin levels are more sensitive to reward and impulsive behavior [ 84 ]. However, chronic high-intensity intermittent training has no significant effect on appetite or food reward and plasma AG concentrations in obese individuals [ 85 ].…”

Section: Ghrelin Influences the Hedonic And Incentive Responses To Comentioning

confidence: 99%

Ghrelin, a gastrointestinal hormone, regulates energy balance and lipid metabolism

et al. 2018

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Ghrelin, an acylated peptide hormone of 28 amino acids, is an endogenous ligand of the released growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR). Ghrelin has been isolated from human and rat stomach and is also detected in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus. Ghrelin receptor is primarily located in the neuropeptide Y and agouti-related protein neurons. Many previous studies have shown that ghrelin and GHSR are involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis, and its administration can increase food intake and body weight gain. AMP-activated protein kinase is activated by ghrelin in the hypothalamus, which contributes to lower intracellular long-chain fatty acid level. Ghrelin appears to modulate the response to food cues via a neural network involved in the regulation of feeding and in the appetitive response to food cues. It also increases the response of brain areas involved in visual processing, attention, and memory to food pictures. Ghrelin is also an important factor linking the central nervous system with peripheral tissues that regulate lipid metabolism. It promotes adiposity by the activation of hypothalamic orexigenic neurons and stimulates the expression of fat storage-related proteins in adipocytes. Meanwhile, ghrelin exerts direct peripheral effects on lipid metabolism, including increase in white adipose tissue mass, stimulation of lipogenesis in the liver, and taste sensitivity modulation.

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“…Ghrelin concentrations correlate positively with alcohol craving (Addolorato et al, 2006, Koopmann et al, 2012, Leggio et al, 2012); baseline ghrelin levels are higher in AUD individuals who subsequently relapse, but lower in those able to maintain abstinence (Leggio et al, 2012). Furthermore, higher baseline fasting levels of ghrelin predict more reward sensitivity and impulsivity (Ralevski et al, 2018), traits associated with compulsive alcohol use (Belin et al, 2008, Everitt and Robbins, 2005). As mentioned, higher baseline ghrelin is also associated with more subjective rewarding effects of alcohol in healthy social drinkers (Ralevski et al, 2017).…”

Section: Ghrelin Alcohol and Substance Usementioning

confidence: 99%

Stress, Motivation, and the Gut–Brain Axis: A Focus on the Ghrelin System and Alcohol Use Disorder

Morris

Voon

Leggio

2018

Alcoholism Clin & Exp Res

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Since its discovery, the gut hormone, ghrelin, has been implicated in diverse functional roles in the central nervous system. Central and peripheral interactions between ghrelin and other hormones, including the stress-response hormone cortisol, govern complex behavioral responses to external cues and internal states. By acting at ventral tegmental area dopaminergic projections and other areas involved in reward processing, ghrelin can induce both general and directed motivation for rewards, including craving for alcohol and other alcohol-seeking behaviors. Stress-induced increases in cortisol seem to increase ghrelin in the periphery, suggesting a pathway by which ghrelin influences how stressful life events trigger motivation for rewards. However, in some states, ghrelin may be protective against the anxiogenic effects of stressors. This critical review brings together a dynamic and growing literature, that is, at times inconsistent, on the relationships between ghrelin, central reward-motivation pathways, and central and peripheral stress responses, with a special focus on its emerging role in the context of alcohol use disorder.

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Ghrelin is Related to Personality Differences in Reward Sensitivity and Impulsivity

Abstract: Individuals with higher levels of fasting ghrelin are more sensitive to reward, but less sensitive to punishment. Higher ghrelin levels are also related to some aspects of impulsivity such as decreased self-control and increased likelihood of acting without thinking.

Cited by 38 publications

References 42 publications

Ghrelin modulates mesolimbic reactivity to alcohol cues in alcohol‐addicted subjects: a functional imaging study

Ghrelin modulates mesolimbic reactivity to alcohol cues in alcohol‐addicted subjects: a functional imaging study

Ghrelin, a gastrointestinal hormone, regulates energy balance and lipid metabolism

Stress, Motivation, and the Gut–Brain Axis: A Focus on the Ghrelin System and Alcohol Use Disorder

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