Neurotransmitters and hormones are physiology’s sculptures. It is amazing how much these chemical can change/morph an animals being physically and behaviorally.
The story reveals that there is a link between the main pleasure chemical receptors in the brain and obesity. The question is, does becoming Obese change the receptors or does a change in the receptors cause Obesity (Chicken – Egg, humm I’m hungry just saying that). I have experiences middle age weight gain and many hormone changes as I enter my 50’s. I have experienced first hand the complexity of Thyroid, Estrogen, and Progesterone on my energy, hunger, sleep and moods. I have not yet made a decision about hormone replacement therapy or thyroid supplementation. But now it looks like I may just need to get an opiate addiction and Ill be fine (dark joke..get used to it if you are goning read my blogs)
“New research reveals how obesity is associated with altered functioning of brain’s opioid system, which is intimately involved in generating pleasurable sensations. Researchers found that obesity was associated with significantly lowered number of opioid receptors in the brain. However, no changes were observed in the dopamine neurotransmitter system, which regulates motivational aspects of eating.
Obesity is a great challenge to human health worldwide because it is associated with serious medical conditions such as type 2 diabetes, coronary heart disease, and stroke. Even though it is well known that unhealthy eating habits are the major cause for obesity, people have often problems with restraining their eating.
Our findings highlight how obesity is associated with brain-level molecular changes. It is possible that the lack of brain’s opioid receptors predisposes the obese individuals to overeating to compensate decreased hedonic responses in this system, tell professor Lauri Nummenmaa and researcher Henry Karlsson.
The findings have major implications for our understanding of the causes of obesity. They help us to understand the mechanisms involved in overeating, and provide new insight into behavioural and pharmacological treatment and prevention of obesity. However, we do not yet know whether the altered brain neurochemistry is a cause or consequence of obesity”
Below is a bit more of the science behind the claims:
Original Story Source:
- H. K. Karlsson, L. Tuominen, J. J. Tuulari, J. Hirvonen, R. Parkkola, S. Helin, P. Salminen, P. Nuutila, L. Nummenmaa. Obesity Is Associated with Decreased -Opioid But Unaltered Dopamine D2 Receptor Availability in the Brain. Journal of Neuroscience, 2015; 35 (9): 3959 DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.4744-14.2015
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