# An experimental medicine approach toward the identification of a compulsive overeating phenotype in obesity

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2020 · $222,966

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Compulsive overeating afflicts 30% of treatment-seeking individuals with obesity and correlates with
cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Current obesity intervention approaches, however, do not
specifically target mechanisms that underlie compulsive overeating. My research on obese women shows that
compulsive overeating is associated with alterations in endogenous opioid activity as indexed by nausea (an
opioidergic withdrawal symptom) following administration of the opioid antagonist naltrexone (NX). Data also
show associations between compulsive overeating, highly palatable food intake, impulsivity, reward-sensitivity,
and other factors, which, taken together, may characterize a compulsive overeating phenotype in obesity. This
K23 Award will support the development of my independent research career focused on more effective
interventions for compulsive overeating in obesity and its cardiovascular comorbidities. The proposed
experimental medicine studies will advance this research program by investigating a compulsive overeating
phenotype in obesity using: (1) a multimethod assessment battery (MAB) to assess behavioral, psychological,
and nutritional correlates of obesity, (2) obesity-related indices of CVD risk (e.g., glycemic control,
hypertension), and (3) my novel NX protocol to assess altered endogenous opioid activity (Aim 1). I will assess
NX protocol test-retest reliability and, in a subset of participants who do not have a NX response (nausea) at
initial testing, test whether NX response can be induced after administering our 2-week sugar-beverage
consumption protocol, as sugar impacts endogenous opioid activity (Aim 2). With my mentors, I will identify
intervention targets in compulsive overeating based on Study 1 results and a current review of the literature. I
will then select intervention components that have produced change in these targets in prior research, and will
develop, refine, and test these components in a pilot study of women with compulsive overeating and obesity
(Aim 3). I will examine feasibility and acceptability of the intervention components and collect pilot data on pre-
post change in the measures used in Study 1. Pilot data will inform the R34 Clinical Trial Pilot Study proposal I
will submit to test an optimized intervention for compulsive overeating in obesity. The proposed training plan
will provide me with the support and mentorship necessary to gain expertise in the identification of opioidergic,
psychological, behavioral, and nutritional targets associated with compulsive overeating; to obtain the training
needed to independently design and conduct laboratory research and to assess obesity-related CVD risk
factors; and to obtain the training necessary to develop and test obesity interventions. These training
experiences, coupled with the proposed research plan, will facilitate my career devoted to the development of
interventions that act on mechanisms underlying compulsive overeating in ob...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10001579
- **Project number:** 5K23HL133442-05
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** Ashley E. Mason
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $222,966
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-08-15 → 2022-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10001579

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10001579, An experimental medicine approach toward the identification of a compulsive overeating phenotype in obesity (5K23HL133442-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10001579. Licensed CC0.

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