Evidence for sugar addiction: Behavioral and neurochemical effects of intermittent, excessive sugar intake

This review evaluates whether sugar can act as an addictive substance using an intermittent-access animal model. By examining rodent behavior and brain chemistry, the authors assess key addiction components: bingeing, withdrawal, craving, and cross-sensitization. The findings show that excessive sugar intake induces dopamine, opioid, and acetylcholine changes in the nucleus accumbens.