Editorial: Pharmacology, biochemistry and behavior: Special issue on the psychopharmacology of feeding, obesity and body weight regulation.

The collection of reviews and original articles in the current special issue bring together data from animal models of overeating and body weight regulation with human clinical data providing a snapshot of current thinking and trends in ingestive science and its relevance to these broader problems. We eat not only in response to appetite and in sufficient quantities to maintain homeostasis but also because we are attracted to palatable, high calorie, foods through learned rewarding consequences. All of the reviews and original articles contributing to this special issue emphasize the complexity of systems that control eating behavior through homeostatic and reward pathways. In the light of a growing understanding of genetics and the impact of the environment on these systems there is a substantial challenge for drug discovery enterprises.