Disabling this gene reduces the pleasure of eating and increases the desire to play sports

L ‘obesity is a complex disease, the occurrence of which is caused by many factors: genetics, hormonal, environmental, lifetime, etc. Therefore, in this conception, one and only one strategy cannot overcome this pathology. However, several combined treatments can be imagined, some aimed at genetics as in the case of this study, others at psychology, as elbows already do or by targeting the structural food environment of our cities.

In this study, conducted by researchers from Maryland affiliates to National Health Institute, deactivating a file uncomfortable very specific has drastically changed eating behavior and physical of the rodents. In fact, in mice whose gene was deactivated, we could see a decrease in the attraction and consumption of appetizing and rewarding foods (in the sense that they particularly stimulate our reward circuit) and greater “availability” to exercise. Could such a treatment be considered in humans?

Under the influence of our brain

The habenula is a brain structure that is part of the epithalamus which designates the dorsal portion of the diencephalon formed byepiphysis, habenula and stria medullary. It is a region whose functions are still little known. But scientists are increasingly interested in the abenular neural circuit for its potential implications in addictions, the Depression, motivation is the reward process.

This circuit is under the influence of the action of a particular gene: Prkar2a. Previous experiments have already shown that altering the abenular neural circuit allows this of mice so as not to become obese even if they were put on a diet that led to obesity. In this new experiment, the alteration of this circuit decreases the attraction of the mice to “reward” foods and causes them to exercise more, which could be good in obese patients.

An advantage for the treatment of obesity?

As we have said, obesity is a complex disease. A single strategy can hardly hope to overcome it. But we can imagine it therapies Attempting to target this brain circuit can be tested a little longer in animal models, in order to measure potential long-term side effects before carrying out human studies.

In the vast majority of cases, obesity results from an inadequate environment. It would also be good to focus on structural variables such as our food environment. For example, making raw foods more available and better positioned in supermarkets than processed foods. In this twenty-first century, the challenge of food must be met on many points. We need to rethink our food systems, both for obese people and for people suffering from hunger in the world.