I recently just read an article that was called “Oreos may be as addictive as Cocaine”. Once I saw that title I was very curious about “Milks Favorite Cookie”. This article included a study that was done with rats to see if this addiction was actually true. I found this title interesting, so I continued to read on about this.
This study was done by researchers from Connecticut University. The researchers basically wanted to see if the Oreo cookies were just as addictive as cocaine. After doing these studies the researched looked at how the rats behaved, and also they looked at the effects the cookies had on the rats brains. So what the researchers did was that “they put the rats into a maze, and allowed them to have the choice of going to the part of the maze that had rice cakes, or to the side of the maze that had the Oreo cookies. After that first test, most of the rats went to the Oreo cookies, and not the rice cakes.” (times.com).”Then the researchers conducted another test where the rats could go to a part of the maze where they would be injected with saline, or they could go to a part were they could be injected with cocaine or morphine. After that test, more rats went to the cocaine, morphine side rather than the saline side of the maze. “(Times.com).
Now at the end of these studies the researchers concluded that the Oreo Cookie “activated more neurons in the rats brains “pleasure center”, than drugs such as cocaine”.(Times.com). The pleasure center is basically the parts of the brain that react to certain acts of pleasure such as laughter, sex, drug use etc. (Howstuffworks). Since this was an observational study third variables can play a factor within this because there was nothing that was truly being controlled, it was all up to the rats to see which side they would go to in each of the tests. I did have a question when it came to the second test. The rats had the choice of going to the side where they would get shot with either saline or cocaine or morphine. How would the rats have known what they were about to get injected with? I understand the rats could probably smell the Oreo cookie, which made them go to that side of the maze rather the rice cakes, but how did that work with the drugs? That is were I say chance could play a factor within this because I don’t understand how the rats could possibly know what was inside of those needles. I would also like to know how many rats were actually being tested because I wonder how many more rats went with the cookies and cocaine, and how much more of an effect did the cookies have on the rats brains than the cocaine had.
This study to me was very interesting, but would not change my mind about eating Oreo cookies at all. I think if a person really likes anything a lot, there is always a possibility that they could get addicted to it. It is very hard for me to believe that the Oreo cookie could have the same or addicting factors as hard core drugs such as cocaine. If I had more information about some of the questions that I asked, that would give me a better understanding of the conclusion and also make this a more plausible study in my opinion.
Sources:
http://newsfeed.time.com/2013/10/16/oreos-may-be-as-addictive-as-cocaine/
http://health.howstuffworks.com/sexual-health/sexuality/brain-during-orgasm2.htm
http://www.oreo.com/default.aspx
I saw the title of your post and immediately craved Oreos, so I believe there has to be something behind that addictive quality of junk foods. The rat study is a little inconclusive to me. I agree with you, I don’t understand the morphine/cocaine and saline part of the experiment. It seems like making that the rat’s decision was all chance. Also, I can only imagine that a rat’s brain and “pleasure center” does not directly align with a human’s and responses to certain things, whether it be cocaine or an Oreo cookie, could differ greatly. Also addiction develops over a period of time, so it’s hard to believe that minimal exposure to something could attract the rats immediately.
This study does not dissuade me from eating Oreos either, as I believe there are plenty of things that can become addictive in excess. This article even discusses the possibility that some chemicals may be involved in our favorite junk foods to make them more addictive. If that is the case then there is still a lot of research to be done in relation to junk foods and addiction especially in a country that struggles with obesity.
I do not find this study surprising at all. Oreos are the most addictive snack ever and they are the complete reason I have to drag myself to the gym all the time.. In all serious though, it is crazy how such a household snack item is being compared with a possibly fatal drug that is responsible for many deaths and serious addictions. However, I am sure there are some people out there who do not like Oreos. (I don’t understand how, but I am sure there are.) So, I wonder if the pleasure center of the brain is triggered differently for different people? Keeping with your article, maybe this is like how some people say drugs make them feel amazing while other people have panic attacks. Not to say that drugs are good for anyone, but strictly just considering how some people are drawn to them and others are completely turned away. Could it be as simple as how someone likes Oreos and how much they like them?
I am there with you when you say you do not understand how a cookie can be addicting. You don’t hear about “oreo addicts” much in the news as you do about people that abuse drugs. I think the oreo’s are used as a symbol for junk food as a whole though. If that makes sense, I think the researchers would find that the rats would tend to pick the junk food over rice cakes still. I think this because I compare it to when my mom would yell at me for leaving sweets or snacks out because bugs would be more likely to come into the house when they smell that. I also think that this study is lacking detail, like the number of rats used. Overall, I do find this an interesting study, just wish the scientists used more detail.
Yes, I agree with you. Like I said in the post, almost anything can get addicting if you like it a lot. I think I would like to learn more as to why it is so hard for a person to get rid of these addictions of certain things. I did talk about the “pleasure center” of the brain, so I would like to learn more about what actually goes on in those parts of the brain and what are the key factors that make us get addicted.
Oreos are my favorite cookie and its crazy to think that such an all-american snack could be compared with such a harmful drug. Maybe its a marketing tactic, people have the tendency to read and research things that sound outrageous opposed to things that have already been proven logical or not. So with your topic, I immediately thought I would voice my opinion. I think anything, even an innocent snack such as oreos, can be addictive. It immediately depends on the person. Someone who feels a lot better during stressful situations because of one specific snack can be evidence for that theory. So, maybe oreos are addicting for one person but not for another? Its this question that will spark a lot of more research.