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We eventually know why so many people are obese...
Just standing in front of a plate of food could make you gain weight.
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have found that showing foods to individuals caused a significant elevation in brain dopamine, the neurotransmitter that is associated with motivation and reward -- and also addiction.
While sniffing or salivating over your favorite caviar may not actually cause the calories to accrue, it could send a message to your brain urging you to eat.
The study, which appears in the June 1 issue of the journal Synapse, represents the first time researchers have shown the human dopamine system can be triggered by food even when there's no eating involved.
The researchers also found that looking at food activated the dopamine-motivation circuit in a different way than actually eating did. This may be closer to what happens when drug addicts experience a craving.
Although this particular study looked at normal-weight individuals, the findings could have enormous implications for a society plagued by obesity.
By Amanda Gardner
HealthScoutNews Reporter
Just standing in front of a plate of food could make you gain weight.
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory have found that showing foods to individuals caused a significant elevation in brain dopamine, the neurotransmitter that is associated with motivation and reward -- and also addiction.
While sniffing or salivating over your favorite caviar may not actually cause the calories to accrue, it could send a message to your brain urging you to eat.
The study, which appears in the June 1 issue of the journal Synapse, represents the first time researchers have shown the human dopamine system can be triggered by food even when there's no eating involved.
The researchers also found that looking at food activated the dopamine-motivation circuit in a different way than actually eating did. This may be closer to what happens when drug addicts experience a craving.
Although this particular study looked at normal-weight individuals, the findings could have enormous implications for a society plagued by obesity.
By Amanda Gardner
HealthScoutNews Reporter
