Clues to curbing obesity found in neuronal 'sweet spot'

Clues to curbing obesity found in neuronal 'sweet spot'

Preventing weight gain, obesity, and ultimately diabetes could be as simple as keeping a nuclear receptor from being activated in a small part of the brain, according to a new study by Yale School of Medicine researchers.

Published in the Aug. 1 issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation (JCI), the study showed that when the researchers blocked the effects of the nuclear receptor PPARgamma in a small number of brain cells in mice, the animals ate less and became resistant to a high-fat diet.

"These animals ate fat and sugar, and did not gain weight, while their control littermates did," said lead author Sabrina Diano, professor in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at Yale School of Medicine. "We showed that the PPARgamma receptor in neurons that produce POMC could control responses to a high-fat diet without resulting in obesity."

POMC neurons are found in the hypothalamus and regulate food intake. They are the neurons that when activated make you feel full and curb appetite. PPARgamma regulates the activation of these neurons.

Diano and her team studied transgenic mice that were genetically engineered to delete the PPARgamma receptor from POMC neurons. They wanted to see if they could prevent the obesity associated with a high-fat, high-sugar diet.

POMC neurons are the ones that regulate food intake. For those people with the condition Prader-Willi Syndrome (people who never feel full) I wonder if this study will be able to help them so they feel full.

I hope that if they can delete the PPARgamma receptor, there isn't a long term side effect that can happen. I always wonder about tinkering with the brain & if it could have a result that we didn't quite think of.

Either way, pretty interesting article. What do you guys think?

Something that reduces appetite and helps one feel full isn't new (even though the approach is)... what stands out to me with this is that they say a high fat/sugar diet does NOT result in weight gain.

It seem obvious that some people can eat more than others without the same weight gain. I know I have to really watch what I eat to keep my weight healthy, but my husband can eat pretty much anything he wants and not gain weight (although he does have high cholesterol now - weight gain isn't the only potential side effect of a poor diet).

It's temping to think that some pill could allow me to eat a pint of Ben and Jerry's every night and stay slim (which is not what the drug would be designed for, obviously), but I don't think I'd take it anyway, if such a pill existed. Anytime you mess with the brain, you are playing with fire. It's amazing how much we don't know about our own brains.

You are right that this could help people with rare conditions that are linked to obesity, like Prader-Willi or Cushing's Disease.

Very interesting and thanks for sharing.

a reply to: knoledgeispower

I'm one of those people who noticed the loss of the feeling full attribute right after feeling devastated by some personal psychological trauma. I unhappily noticed myself eating more to achieve that level, but it did not come. Now I have to really watch what I eat and how much. I've noticed that a forty-hour fast restored it for a short time though.

originally posted by: aboutface
a reply to: knoledgeispower

I'm one of those people who noticed the loss of the feeling full attribute right after feeling devastated by some personal psychological trauma. I unhappily noticed myself eating more to achieve that level, but it did not come. Now I have to really watch what I eat and how much. I've noticed that a forty-hour fast restored it for a short time though.

You may want to speak to someone who specializes in trauma therapy, that may be something you should try to get taken care of. It's up to you though.

a reply to: knoledgeispower

I have always wanted to, but I lack the funds. Our medical care is free, but from what I've seen doctors do not send people to psychological counseling unless it is an insurance or maybe a criminal case.

originally posted by: aboutface
a reply to: knoledgeispower

I have always wanted to, but I lack the funds. Our medical care is free, but from what I've seen doctors do not send people to psychological counseling unless it is an insurance or maybe a criminal case.

You should see if there is anything offered in your community, I get counseling for free because I don't have much of an income & it's at a community run place.

I know in B.C, Canada there are some government numbers you can call to see if you qualify for free counseling of a different kind. You tell them what your problem is and they see if you fit the criteria.

originally posted by: VegHead
Anytime you mess with the brain, you are playing with fire. It's amazing how much we don't know about our own brains.

Absolutely agree!

Also, it seems crazy to me to alter peoples brains when it would be much simpler and safer to ban the additives that we know are causing addiction to certain foods.

People never used to be like they are now, I was born in the fifties and I do not remember seeing SO MANY monstrously overweight people as I see nowadays.
The food thats being CREATED is the problem, we should not be altering peoples brains so that they can eat unhealthy food!

Medications are another huge cause of weight problems.

a reply to: VoidHawk

It is ridiculous how many medications cause weight gain.

I agree that food needs to stop being made so addictive. I can only handle small amounts of sugar due to a sensitive stomach & when I go without sugar, I find I crave it. Same with fatty & salty substances.

A wake up call for people should have been that oreo cookie study that came out showing your brain lights up the same way it does when you take crack. Ever since that study, Oreo cookies have always been on some sort of sale.

Curb obesity?

How un-American of you.

That is a good article, I read it on Saturday I think. It's good that others start threads about these things so I can comment.

Grapefruit or onions might be able to activate the POMC. The narageenan effects appetite that way. Quercetin in onions might work also. I'm not sure what they are using to activate this.

Now, if you can't process these high sulfur foods, that could be problematic. The sulfite oxidase enzyme has to be working right. I'm wondering if they account for this if they start making medicines.

Well the problem with most overweight that I know is health issues. They eat small meals and feel full. They don't metabolize food normally however. Whereas the skinny eat a holics don't ever feel full. Yet don't gain weight. Odd how its usually the opposite than what is presented.

Maybe its because they love having overweight people as whipping dogs and don't ever want to really solve issues, there is a whole industry going making millions/billions off of others pain.