Dr. Casey Halpern: Biology & Treatments for Compulsive Behaviors & Binge Eating | Episode 91
Main Takeaways
Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) involves inserting a wire into the part of the brain involved in the disorder and connecting it to a battery pack in the chest to send electrical signals. It is used to treat Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders, as well as OCD and mental health.
DBS has a positive outcome for Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders. It can also be used for obesity, eating disorders, OCD, and mental health
Cortical control areas are dysregulated in individuals with OCD, leading to hyper- or hypo-functioning, creating a loop of intrusive obsessions and compulsions.
Therapeutic medications that target the serotonin system, as well as cognitive behavioral therapy, can be used to treat OCD.
Ablation surgery is a surgical option for treating OCD, but it is controversial due to the 50% rate of success.
Obesity is associated with the nucleus accumbens, part of the brain known as the hub of reward circuits.
Binge eating affects 3-5% of the population, with binge eaters typically binge once per day or 3-4 times per week.
Anorexia is a disruption of reward processes that leads to a hyper-awareness of fat content, resulting in a default towards low-calorie foods.
Anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating are all distortions in relationship to food where reward and habit are disrupted beyond control.
Promising non-invasive brain surgeries include transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for treating depression and addiction.
