For some people, the smell of good food can trigger a feeding frenzy. But others find it much easier to resist such temptations. What’s the explanation?
Is it willpower ? A recent study in the journal Molecular Psychiatry suggests the answer to what fuels susceptibility to food cues may be far more complex, related to subtle differences in brain chemistry.
The PET scans showed that, compared to their leaner counterparts, obese individuals had more dopamine-triggered signaling activity in the habit-forming region of the brain, called the dorsolateral striatum. Conversely, the obese group had less dopamine signaling in the ventromedial striatum, an area of the brain that controls reward and motivation, than the slimmer group.
To learn more about how our brain chemistry may influence our weight, Hall’s team plans to examine dopamine activity and eating behavior in people over time as they change their diets, physical activity, and even levels of body fat. The ultimate goal is to generate knowledge that can be used to advance efforts to prevent and treat obesity, which is a leading risk factor for heart disease, type 2 diabetes, certain types of cancer, osteoarthritis, and many other serious health conditions.
http://directorsblog.nih.gov/2014/11/25/using-brain-scans-to-explore-obesity/
