Hate To Diet? Thank Your Brain
So-called hunger brain cells may be encouraging you to overeat. (Gif: Priscilla De Castro)
You know the rules when it comes to losing weight—consume less, lay off the sweets, the sodium and the processed foods.
But new research from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus shows that our desire to keep eating may be all in our heads — thanks to hunger-sensitive cells in the brain.
Scientists have just discovered neurons that are associated with the unpleasant aspects of hunger and thirst. “And we found that a small population of neurons in the mouse brain, called AGRP neurons, help teach what is a physiologically useful food and what is not—and humans have these neurons too,” Scott Sternson, principal investigator on the study, tells Yahoo Health.
He explains that these neurons read circulating signals in the blood to detect when an animal has started to lose weight. The neurons then increase their activity and, in turn, release neurotransmitters that increase appetite. “We showed that the neurons transmit a signal with negative valence that is shut off by nutritive food,” he states. “And this is likely important for learning what satisfies hunger when an animal is losing weight. Therefore, these neurons are part of a motivational system to force an animal to satisfy its physiological needs.” So part of the motivation for seeking food is to simply shut these neurons off.
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Since the AGRP neurons are engaged during weight loss, they can make your attempt at shedding a few pounds all the more challenging. “Through a mechanism that is not currently well understood, your body defends a narrow range of body weight,” adds Sternson. “So if you fall below this range, these neurons are instrumental in fighting that process. While this is useful if you are at risk of starving, it is a problem for many people who have excess weight that they find very hard to lose.”
Sternson is looking forward to conducting further research where he and his team hope to discover the similarities and differences between the hunger and thirst cells. “The more that we understand about the proteins these neurons express, the more intelligently we can conceive of potential therapeutic strategies.”
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As for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint, Sternson emphasizes that it will most likely take more than just willpower to achieve lasting results. “I think it is important to appreciate what a dieter is up against: both the individual trying to lose weight and those who should be supporting them,” he says. “You cannot go into a diet with a simple, ‘I will eat less’ mentality. Yes, that is important, but there needs to be a plan for how that weight will be kept off— and that is usually through social encouragement from your friends and family in order to overcome the negative signal that these AGRP neurons are producing in your brain to counteract your efforts to lose weight.”
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