Researchers have discovered that the hippocampus, traditionally known for its role in memory, plays a crucial role in regulating food intake and weight. Studies in mice reveal distinct populations of neurons in the hippocampus that respond specifically to fat and sugar, influencing food preferences, motivation, and memory. These findings open up new avenues for understanding and potentially treating eating disorders and obesity.
The hippocampus, a brain region renowned for its role in memory, has emerged as a crucial player in regulating food intake, according to new research. This study, conducted by Guillaume de Lartigue and his colleagues at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, identified distinct populations of neurons in the mouse hippocampus that respond specifically to either fats or sugars.
Fat-responsive neurons increased the preference and motivation for fat consumption, while sugar-responsive neurons encoded spatial memory for sugar location. Stimulating these neurons led to increased food intake, while silencing them impaired the mice's ability to recall sugar-related memories, consequently reducing sugar consumption and preventing weight gain even on high-calorie diets. Reactivating these neurons enhanced food memory, leading to increased consumption. This highlights the powerful influence of food memories on dietary behavior. While these findings are promising, the researchers acknowledge that direct evidence linking gut nutrient signals to specific hippocampal circuits in humans is still lacking. The development of tools for real-time monitoring of gut-brain interactions, coupled with advanced neuroimaging and transcriptomic studies, is essential to bridge this gap. The researchers are optimistic that human studies validating these circuits and their contributions to eating behavior can be conducted within the next 5-10 years. This breakthrough research suggests that manipulating these hippocampal neurons could lead to novel treatments for eating disorders and obesity-related conditions. Neuromodulation techniques, such as vagal nerve stimulation, could potentially activate these feeding-related neurons, while targeted pharmacological interventions could modulate their activity. Dietary interventions, involving controlled exposure to specific nutrients, could also reshape food preferences and reduce the impact of food cues on behavior
HIPPOCAMPUS FOOD INTAKE WEIGHT CONTROL NEURONS MEMORY EATING DISORDERS OBESITY
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