ArticleEvolution and human behavior : official journal of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society2021
Fructose and Uric Acid as Drivers of a Hyperactive Foraging Response: A Clue to Behavioral Disorders Associated with Impulsivity or Mania?
Article in Evolution and human behavior : official journal of the Human Behavior and Evolution Society, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 15 papers.
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Who cites it
15 citing papers in PubMed, 22 citations in OpenAlex.
- Sugar Shockwaves: How the Fructose-Glucose-ChREBP Pathway Hijacks Liver Metabolism.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Fructose: metabolic signal and modern hazard.Nature metabolism · 2026Review
- Article
- Uric Acid and Impulse Control Disorders in Parkinson's Disease: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2025Article
- The Hepatic Axis Fructose-Methylglyoxal-AMPK: Starring or Secondary Role in Chronic Metabolic Disease?Journal of clinical medicine · 2025Article
- Aggression and Justice Involvement: Does Uric Acid Play a Role?Brain sciences · 2025Article
- Mindful Eating: A Deep Insight Into Fructose Metabolism and Its Effects on Appetite Regulation and Brain Function.Journal of nutrition and metabolism · 2025Review
- High-Fructose Diet and Chronic Unpredictable Stress Modify Each Other's Neurobehavioral Effects in Female Rats.International journal of molecular sciences · 2024Article
- Associations between dietary habits and bipolar disorder: a diet-wide mendelian randomization study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2024Article
- The fructose survival hypothesis for obesity.Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological sciences · 2023Review
- Sugar and Dyslipidemia: A Double-Hit, Perfect Storm.Journal of clinical medicine · 2023Review
- Could Alzheimer's disease be a maladaptation of an evolutionary survival pathway mediated by intracerebral fructose and uric acid metabolism?The American journal of clinical nutrition · 2023Review
- Do thrifty genes exist? Revisiting uricase.Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) · 2022Review
- Does fructose have a protective role on migraine?-experimental evidence in a rat model of metabolic syndrome under omega-3 supplementation.Annals of translational medicine · 2022Article
- Short-Term High Fructose Intake Impairs Diurnal Oscillations in the Murine Cornea.Investigative ophthalmology & visual science · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
Several behavioral disorders, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, and aggressive behaviors are linked with sugar intake and obesity. The reason(s) for this association has been unclear. Here we present a hypothesis supporting a role for fructose, a component of sugar and high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), and uric acid (a fructose metabolite), in increasing the risk for these behavioral disorders. Recent studies have shown that the reason fructose intake is strongly associated with development of metabolic syndrome is that fructose intake activates an evolutionary-based survival pathway that stimulates foraging behavior and the storage of energy as fat. While modest intake may aid animals that would like to store fat as a protective response from food shortage or starvation, we propose that high intake of sugar and HFCS causes a hyperactive foraging response that stimulates craving, impulsivity, risk taking and aggression that increases the risk for ADHD, bipolar disease and aggressive behavior. High glycemic carbohydrates and salty foods may also contribute as they can be converted to fructose in the body. Some studies suggest uric acid produced during fructose metabolism may mediate some of these effects. Chronic stimulation of the pathway could lead to desensitization of hedonic responses and induce depression. In conclusion, a hyperactive foraging response driven by high glycemic carbohydrates and sugars may contribute to affective disorders.
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Registered trials
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