The Evolutionary Link Between Overeating, Addiction, and Prosocial Behaviors

Research suggests that increased neuropeptide Y (NPY) and dopamine (DA) in the human nucleus accumbens (NAc) may have contributed to enhanced brain development but also made humans more vulnerable to eating disorders and substance abuse. NPY is associated with reward systems, emotional behavior, and increased alcohol use, drug addiction, and fat intake. The study highlights that the human brain has denser NPY innervation in the NAc compared to other primates, potentially influencing prosocial behaviors and contributing to the success of early human ancestors. The findings suggest that overeating and addiction may have deep evolutionary origins in the human brain.