Valerie Darcey, Ph.D., M.S., R.D., Stadtman Tenure-Track Investigator, NIH Distinguished Scholar

Acting Section Chief: Section on Nutritional and Metabolic Neuroimaging, Diabetes, Endocrinology, & Obesity Branch

Scientific Focus Areas: Neuroscience, Clinical Research, Social and Behavioral Sciences

valerie.darcey@nih.gov LinkedIn ResearchGate Google Scholar ORCID Add to Contacts

Publications

A selection of recent and significant publications can be viewed below.

Striatal dopamine tone is positively associated with adiposity in humans as determined by PET using dual dopamine type-2 receptor antagonist tracers.

Darcey VL, Guo J, Chi M, Chung ST, Courville AB, Gallagher I, Herscovitch P, Howard R, La Noire M, Milley L, Schick A, Stagliano M, Turner S, Urbanski N, Yang S, Yim E, Zhai N, Zhou MS, Hall KD.

Mol Psychiatry (2025 Apr 6) Abstract/Full Text

Brain dopamine responses to ultra-processed milkshakes are highly variable and not significantly related to adiposity in humans.

Darcey VL, Guo J, Chi M, Chung ST, Courville AB, Gallagher I, Herscovitch P, Joseph PV, Howard R, La Noire M, Milley L, Schick A, Stagliano M, Turner S, Urbanski N, Yang S, Zhai N, Zhou MS, Hall KD.

Cell Metab (2025 Mar 4) 37:616-628.e5. Abstract/Full Text

Dietary fat restriction affects brain reward regions in a randomized crossover trial.

Darcey VL, Guo J, Courville AB, Gallagher I, Avery JA, Simmons WK, Ingeholm JE, Herscovitch P, Martin A, Hall KD.

JCI Insight (2023 Jun 22) 8. Abstract/Full Text