Steve Fordahl

Dr. Steve Fordahl is an Associate Professor in the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. His research examines how dietary patterns (high-fat/high-sugar) alter brain dopamine signaling, leading to dysregulated food intake and obesity. Using rodent models, he investigates neurochemical adaptations in dopamine pathways that degrade reward perception.

Key research themes include: 1) Dopamine terminal function changes following high-fat diets; 2) Interaction between stress responses and food intake regulation; 3) Insulin signaling restoration as potential intervention for diet-induced neurochemical deficits. Techniques include neurochemical monitoring, behavioral analysis, and pharmacological manipulations.

Publications demonstrate expertise in diet-induced neuroplasticity, showing how chronic palatable food consumption alters dopamine transporter function and psychostimulant responses. His work identifies obesity-related neuroadaptations in reward circuitry that perpetuate unhealthy eating patterns.