Gaby
So, the next time we make a poor choice, we might boldly shift the blame onto those sneaky hormones. After all, whether we’re hungry or full significantly impacts our decisions.
According to research from University College London (UCL), the hunger hormone ghrelin, produced in the gut, can influence the activity of the hippocampus—a part of the brain responsible for decision-making, particularly when it comes to food choices. For instance, it can affect whether we buy groceries on an empty or full stomach.
How the Research Was Conducted
The team reached these conclusions after conducting a series of experiments on mice. Researchers placed the rodents in an arena with limited food and observed their behavior when they were hungry versus when they were satiated. Simultaneously, they visualized the brain signals of the mice in real-time, as reported by the Independent.
The researchers focused on the activity in the ventral part of the hippocampus. When the mice approached the food, the activity of brain cells in this area increased. This heightened activity actually hindered the animals from eating.
However, when a mouse was hungry, the activity in the ventral region was lower, allowing the hippocampus to refrain from obstructing the animal’s eating. The researchers believe this observation is linked to high levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin circulating in the blood.
During one of the experiments, the team also managed to make the mice behave as if they were full. The rodents stopped eating even when they were hungry.
Conclusions Drawn by the Team
This discovery demonstrated that ghrelin can cross the blood-brain barrier, which strictly limits the entry of unwanted substances from the blood into the brain. Additionally, this hormone directly affects the brain, triggering its activity.
Dr. Ryan Vi, a specialist in neurobiology, physiology, and pharmacology at UCL, emphasized the importance of being able to make decisions based on our hunger levels.
“Hunger can significantly influence our choices,” stated the lead author of the study, Dr. Andrew MacAskill. It’s enough to recall how many unnecessary items we sometimes buy on an empty stomach.
The researchers hope that understanding the impact of hunger hormones on the brain will aid in the prevention and treatment of eating disorders in the future.
The findings of the study were published in the journal Neuron.
