Brain Cells that Signal Your Brain to Stop Overeating Identified by Scientists

Unable to control your love for indulgence? Are you someone who eats when bored? One serving just never seems enough? Don't worry, for all the times that your obesity has spun out of control, scientists have found the one solution that is deeply ingrained in your own body, the brain cells that tell you when to stop overeating. This discovery will go a long way in establishing anti-obesity treatments that actually work.

A recent study conducted on mice revealed that when these cells activated and sent signals to the brain, mice consumed 25% less food in a day.
"When the type of brain cells we discovered fire and send off signals, our laboratory mice stop eating soon after," said Richard Huganir, director at the Johns Hopkins University in the US.

However, when satiety cells in mice's brain were switched off, they ate much more and increased their weight more than twice in just three weeks.

The findings of the study, published by journal science, explain how brain cells tell an animal when to stop eating. If the same is confirmed in human trials, it could develop new and effective methods to fight obesity.

Team of researchers identified cells in a small region of brain called para-ventricular nucleus, that was known to receive and send signals related to food intake and appetite. It is these signals that told the mice that they have had enough food, Huganir said.

When gene for OGT, biological catalyst responsible for several body functions, was silenced, the mice ended up eating more. Even though they consumed same meals as other mice, they ate much bigger portions. Also, when OGT is missing, the animal's lost their ability to sense when they have had enough.
"These mice don't understand that they've had enough food, so they keep eating," said Olof Lagerlof, graduate student from Johns Hopkins University.

"We believe we have found a new receiver of information that directly affects brain activity and feeding behaviour, and if our findings bear out in other animals, including people, they may advance the search for drugs or other means of controlling appetites," Lagerlof suggested.