The Neuroscience Behind Cues, Cravings, and Compulsions

Catalog description

Why do some smells make your mouth water even when you're full? Why do certain places or objects trigger cravings, panic, or bad decisions? In this seminar, we’ll explore how the brain learns to associate cues with consequences, and how these learned associations can shape behavior in powerful, and sometimes maladaptive, ways. Drawing heavily from rodent-based neuroscience research, students will engage with topics ranging from foundational learning theory and computational models of associative learning to the neural circuits that assign value and drive motivated action. We’ll examine how these neural systems are evolutionarily adaptive, yet vulnerable to disruption by hyperpalatable foods, addictive substances, and stress. Finally, we’ll investigate emerging interventions, including GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., Ozempic/Wegovy), that may rebalance cue-driven behavior and reduce compulsive actions towards food and even drugs of abuse. Students can expect to read and engage with primary literature, lead discussions, and develop scientific writing skills in this highly interactive course.