Table 1.

Summary of findings in support of sugar addiction in rats using an animal model of sucrose or glucose bingeing.

Substance dependence	Animal model of sugar dependence
A. DSM-IV-TR
Tolerance	Escalation of daily sugar intake (Colantuoni et al., 2001)
Signs of withdrawal	Somatic signs (teeth-chattering, tremor), Anxiety measured by plus-maze, Ultrasonic distress vocalizations (Colantuoni et al., 2002 and Avena et al., 2008)
Consuming more than intended	Deprivation effect (Avena et al., 2005)
B. Behavioral siqns
Locomotor cross-sensitization	Amphetamine (Avena and Hoebel, 2003)
Proclivity to consume other drugs of abuse	Alcohol (Avena et al., 2004)
C. Neurochemical changes in the NAc
Repeated release of DA	Rada et al. (2005) and Avena et al. (2006)
↑ D1 receptor binding	Colantuoni et al. (2001)
↓ D2 receptor binding	Colantuoni et al. (2001)
↑ D3 receptor mRNA	Spangler et al. (2004)
↑ preproenkephalin mRNA	Spangler et al. (2004)
DA/ACh imbalance during withdrawal	Colantuoni et al. (2002) and Avena et al. (2008)

^*Taken with permission from Avena, N. M., & Hoebel, B. G. (in press). Bingeing, withdrawal and craving: an animal model of sugar addiction. In K. Brownell, & M. Gold (Eds.), Handbook of food and addiction. Oxford University Press.