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Mucosal immunity
A branch of the immune system dedicated to defending the body’s mucosal surfaces, such as those in the gut, respiratory tract, and reproductive tract,…
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CNP Contributor
Lyanna Tran
Related Encyclopedia terms
Menstrual cycle
The recurring sequence of hormonal and physiological changes that prepares the female body for a possible pregnancy. Typically lasting around 28 days, the menstrual…
Read termHyperandrogenism
A condition in which there is an excess of androgens (male sex hormones such as testosterone) in females. It can cause symptoms like excess…
Read termEstrogen modulation
The alteration of estrogen’s levels, activity, or effects in the body, whether through natural physiological changes, disease processes, medications, or microbiome interactions. This modulation…
Read termPolycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
A common endocrine disorder in women of reproductive age, marked by irregular menstrual cycles, excess androgen levels, and polycystic-appearing ovaries. It is often associated…
Read termContraceptives
Methods or devices used to prevent pregnancy by inhibiting ovulation, blocking fertilization, or preventing implantation of a fertilized egg. They can be hormonal (e.g.,…
Read termCervicovaginal microbiome
The cervicovaginal microbiome refers to the diverse population of microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses, that reside within the cervicovaginal tract. This microbial…
Read termBacterial Vaginosis (BV)
A condition characterized by an imbalance in the vaginal microbiota, where beneficial lactobacilli are reduced and replaced by an overgrowth of other bacteria. This…
Read termAnovulation
The absence or failure of ovulation during a menstrual cycle resulting in the lack of egg release from the ovaries. It can result from…
Read termEstrobolome
The collection of gut microbial genes and species capable of metabolizing estrogens. Through enzymes such as beta-glucuronidase, the estrobolome influences the amount of active…
Read termBetaglucoronidase (gmGUS)
An enzyme produced by certain gut microbes that deconjugates glucuronidated compounds, including estrogen, allowing them to be reabsorbed into circulation. gmGUS activity plays a…
Read termWanting vs. Liking
Two distinct neural systems influencing eating behavior. Wanting is the craving or motivation to seek food, primarily driven by dopamine and often triggered by…
Read termVentral Tegmental Area (VTA)
The VTA is a dopamine-producing region located in the midbrain. It plays a central role in the brain’s reward system by projecting to areas…
Read termReward Systems
Neural circuits and pathways (including dopamine) that are activated by rewarding stimuli, such as high-calorie, palatable foods. These systems play a key role in…
Read termPavlovian-Instrumental Transfer (PIT)
PIT describes how conditioned cues (learned through Pavlovian associations) influence decision-making and motivation in goal-directed actions. In the context of eating, a food-related cue…
Read termPavlovian (Classical) Conditioning
A learning process in which a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a biologically significant stimulus, resulting in a conditioned response to the previously neutral…
Read termOrbitofrontal Cortex
The OFC is a region of the prefrontal cortex involved in evaluating the subjective reward value of stimuli, including food. It integrates sensory inputs,…
Read termObesogenic Environment
An environment that promotes excessive weight gain and obesity by encouraging unhealthy eating habits and physical inactivity. It includes physical, social, and economic factors—such…
Read termNucleus Accumbens (NAc)
The nucleus accumbens (NAc) is the main component of the ventral striatum, a brain region involved in processing motivation, reward, and emotions. It plays…
Read termNeuropods
Neuropods are specialized extensions of certain enteroendocrine cells (EECs) in the gut that form direct synaptic connections with vagal afferent neurons. Unlike traditional hormone-based…
Read termIncentive Sensitization
Incentive Sensitization is a theory proposing that repeated exposure to a rewarding stimulus—such as drugs or palatable food—leads to enhanced sensitivity of the brain’s…
Read termHomeostatic Regulation
The biological processes that maintain energy balance, including hunger and satiety signals, typically governed by hormones such as ghrelin and leptin and brain regions…
Read termHedonic Override
Hedonic “override” describes situations where the motivation to eat persists despite satiety signals, driven by the brain’s reward systems rather than physiological energy needs.…
Read termHedonic Regulation
The pursuit of pleasure and reward in eating, often linked to the brain’s reward centers (such as the nucleus accumbens) and neurotransmitters like dopamine.…
Read termHabitual Eating
Eating that occurs automatically and routinely, often triggered by environmental cues rather than hunger, and carried out with little conscious thought.
Read termCue-Potentiated Feeding (CPF)
CPF refers to the phenomenon where exposure to food-related cues (like sights or smells) triggers eating even when the individual is not physically hungry.…
Read termCognitive Dissonance
Cognitive dissonance is a psychological theory that refers to the mental discomfort or tension that arises when an individual holds two or more contradictory…
Read termAssociative Learning
Associative learning is a psychological process in which an individual forms a connection between two events—such as a stimulus and a response—based on repeated…
Read termArcuate Nucleus
The arcuate nucleus is a cluster of neurons located at the base of the hypothalamus. It plays a central role in regulating appetite, metabolism,…
Read termAnterior Cingulate Cortex (ACC)
A region of the brain located in the medial prefrontal cortex, the ACC plays a key role in detecting cognitive conflict and errors, regulating…
Read termVolition
Volition is the cognitive process of making a conscious decision and acting on it.
Read termTranstheoretical approach
An approach that combines similar elements from different theories to create a model that integrates them.
Read termTheory of Planned Behavior
The theory was proposed by Icek Ajzen in 1985. The main idea of this theory is that behaviors are the consequences of intentions. People…
Read termSubjective Norms
In the Theory of Planned Behavior, subjective norms refer to the perceived social pressure to perform or not perform a behavior. The expectations and…
Read termSubcortical Brain Regions
Subcortical brain regions are structures located beneath the cerebral cortex, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, basal ganglia, amygdala, and hippocampus. These regions play crucial roles…
Read termSocial Learning Theory
Social learning theory was developed in the 1960s by psychologist Albert Bandura. It posits that people learn new behaviors, skills, and attitudes by observing…
Read termSelective attention
Selective attention is the cognitive process that allows individuals to focus on a specific stimulus while ignoring other irrelevant information in the environment. It…
Read termSecure Attachment Style
Secure attachment style is characterized by low anxiety and low avoidance. It develops when caregivers provide consistent warmth, safety, and responsiveness, enabling the child…
Read termPerceived Behavioral Control
Perceived behavioral control is the strength of the belief a person has that he/she can perform the behavior in question. It is one of…
Read termNudge Theory
A theory of behavior change was proposed in 2009 by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein. It applies the principles of behavioral economics to influence…
Read termNutriments
A term from the self-determination theory, nutriments are conditions or materials humans need to function. Biological nutriments are food and drinks that nourish the…
Read termNeuropsychology
Neuropsychology is a branch of psychology that examines the relationship between the brain and behavior, specifically how brain function influences cognition, emotions, and decision-making.…
Read termNeurobiological
The term neurobiological refers to the study of the biological mechanisms underlying the function and behavior of the nervous system, particularly the brain. It…
Read termNegative Valence
Negative valence refers to the unpleasant emotional quality or aversive nature of stimuli, experiences, or mental states that typically evoke avoidance behaviors or negative…
Read termMacro Theory
A macro theory is a broad, large-scale theoretical framework aiming to explain a wide range of phenomena. They generally propose a number of basic…
Read termIntuitive eating
Eating in response to internal cues with flexibility and trust i.e., eating driven by hunger and fullness sensations coming from the body.
Read termIntrojection
Introjection is a psychological process through which an individual adopts the ideas, attitudes, or behaviors of others as their own. This can happen because…
Read termInsecure Attachment Styles
Attachment styles characterized by either high anxiety, high avoidance, or both. They typically arise from caregivers being inconsistently responsive, distant, or both, which can…
Read termIncentive Salience
Incentive salience is a motivational property assigned by the brain to a stimulus, making it attract attention of the individual and and ‘wanted’. According…
Read termGray’s Reinforcements Sensitivity Theory
The theory proposed in the late 1970s and early 1980s by Jeffrey Gray postulates that people differ in how sensitive they are to rewards…
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