Contrary to long-held beliefs that signals from the stomach regulate how much we eat, a recent study by UC San Francisco scientists reveals a different story.
Led by Zachary Knight, Ph.D., from UCSF, the team discovered that our sense of taste plays a pivotal role in controlling our eating speed and quantity.
This study, published in Nature on Nov. 22, 2023, offers new insights into appetite control and could inform the development of more effective weight-loss strategies.
Knight’s team found that neurons in the brainstem respond almost immediately to the taste of food, signaling us to slow down our eating.
This finding was made possible by new techniques developed by lead author Truong Ly, Ph.D., which allowed for the first-time imaging of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NTS) in an awake, active mouse.
The study revealed that taste, rather than the stomach’s signals, predominantly activates certain brain cells known as PRLH neurons during normal eating.
Understanding the Brain’s Role in Feeling Full
Traditionally, it was believed that nutrient signals from the gastrointestinal tract activated PRLH neurons. However, this study showed that when mice are allowed to eat normally, it’s the taste signals from the mouth that primarily drive these neurons.
This shift in understanding challenges previous assumptions and highlights the complexity of the appetite-control system.
The Brain’s Dual Response to Food
The research indicates that the brain uses the taste of food in two ways simultaneously.
While one part of the brain encourages eating by signaling that food tastes good, another part monitors eating speed, advising to slow down to prevent overeating. This balance is crucial in determining eating pace.
Implications for Weight-Loss Treatments
The study’s findings could be vital in understanding how weight-loss drugs like Ozempic work.
These drugs mimic GLP-1, a hormone released by another group of brain cells, CGC neurons, in response to the stomach and intestines. By studying these neurons, researchers hope to uncover mechanisms that make such drugs effective.
Understanding how taste signals interact with feedback from the gut to control appetite during a meal could lead to individualized weight-loss plans.
The research team plans to explore these interactions further, aiming to enhance the effectiveness of appetite-suppressing strategies based on individual eating habits.
If you care about obesity, please read studies about Obesity drugs can help prevent weight regain after weight loss surgery and findings of Research shows big hidden cause of obesity.
For more information about nutrition, please see recent studies about new way to halt excessive inflammation, and results showing foods that could cause inflammation.
The research findings can be found in Nature.
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