© 2024 Connecticut Public

FCC Public Inspection Files:
WEDH · WEDN · WEDW · WEDY · WNPR
WPKT · WRLI-FM · WEDW-FM · Public Files Contact
ATSC 3.0 FAQ
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Oreos as Addictive as Cocaine, in Lab Rats

BrokenSphere
/
Wikimedia Commons
Credit Connecticut College
Joseph Schroeder, associate professor of psychology at Connecticut College and director of the behavioral neuroscience program, and Lauren Cameron ’14 found that eating Oreos activated more neurons in the brain’s “pleasure center” than exposure to drugs of abuse.

News has been pretty rough lately, between the government shutdown and the debt ceiling. Now comes word that America’s favorite cookie can produce similar effects on the brain as addictive drugs. New research from Connecticut College finds that the Oreo cookie is just as addictive as cocaine, at least for lab rats.

It's actually not all that surprising that eating high-fat, high-sugar foods can produce pleasurable effects. But Joseph Schroeder, director of the behavioral neuroscience program at Connecticut College, studied the brains of rats after they ate Oreo cookies. "When we did that," Schroeder said, "we found that the animals that were conditioned to Oreo cookies had a greater number of neurons that were activated, compared to animals that were exposed to cocaine or morphine." That, he said, could explain why someone who knows high-fat, high sugar foods aren’t good for them can’t resist taking the next bite.

The study was conducted with students at the college’sHolleranCenter for Community Action and Public Policy.

Diane Orson is a special correspondent with Connecticut Public. She is a longtime reporter and contributor to National Public Radio. Her stories have been heard on Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Weekend Edition and Here And Now. Diane spent seven years as CT Public Radio's local host for Morning Edition.

Stand up for civility

This news story is funded in large part by Connecticut Public’s Members — listeners, viewers, and readers like you who value fact-based journalism and trustworthy information.

We hope their support inspires you to donate so that we can continue telling stories that inform, educate, and inspire you and your neighbors. As a community-supported public media service, Connecticut Public has relied on donor support for more than 50 years.

Your donation today will allow us to continue this work on your behalf. Give today at any amount and join the 50,000 members who are building a better—and more civil—Connecticut to live, work, and play.

Related Content