A new study shows how signals can be used to stop binge eating.
According to a press release from the University of Cologne on Thursday, a group of researchers have come up with a completely new way to treat eating disorders that may be the key to finally controlling these harmful urges.
The nerve cells that tell us to eat
Researchers used mouse models to show that a group of nerve cells in the hypothalamus called AgRP (agouti-related peptide neurons) control the release of endogenous lysophospholipids, which in turn control the excitability of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex, which stimulates food intake.
The scientists also figured out that activating AgRP neurons in the hypothalamus could make a person feel hungry. In this study, AgRPs were also linked to autotaxin, an enzyme in the brain (ATX).
Researchers did a lot of work to find out...