Grant: Emerging Team Grant: Co-morbidity of brain disorders & other health problems-LOI

Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) are more likely to be obese. We suggest that there is actually functional link between these conditions. Specifically, we propose that the cognitive/emotional features of ADHD lead to impulsive eating in response to negative emotional states, which then leads to modifications of neural circuits that mediate feelings of pleasure and well being, leading to the development of feeding behaviours and preferences for high fat, sweet foods that favour weight gain and ultimately obesity. Our team will examine the development of feeding behaviour in children as a function of individual differences in cognitive - emotional function. These studies would provide a completely novel developmental pathway to obesity and metabolic illness.