BACKGROUND: Sensitivity to reward has been implicated as a predisposing factor for
behaviors related to drug abuse as well as overeating. However, the underlying
mechanisms contributing to reward sensitivity are unknown. We hypothesized that a
dysregulation in dopamine signaling might be an underlying cause of heightened reward
sensitivity whereby rewarding stimuli could act to normalize the system. METHODS: We
used a genetic mouse model of increased reward sensitivity, the ΔFosB-overexpressing …