Ultra-processed foods and dopamine: Parsing complexity beyond observed variability

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The recent study by Darcey et al.¹ offers a thought-provoking contribution to our understanding of how the human brain responds to ultra-processed foods, particularly in relation to striatal dopamine signaling and adiposity. Using a rigorous positron emission tomography (PET) imaging protocol, the authors report high interindividual variability and an absence of significant association between dopaminergic response and body fat. These findings challenge reductionist views of food addiction as a

Declaration of interests

The authors declare no competing interests.