food

The Brain Hungers for Dopamine

Neuroscience NewsJanuary 8, 2019

A new study reveals the role dopamine plays in controlling eating behaviors. Researchers found when people crave specific foods, the brain releases more dopamine when they finally consume the item. The study reports the gastrointestinal tract is in constant contact with the brain and uses reward stimuli to control our desire for food. ... Read More...

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Your Brain Rewards You Twice Per Meal

Neuroscience NewsDecember 27, 2018

Upon eating, dopamine is released in the brain at two different times, during ingestion and when the food reaches our stomach, researchers report.... Read More...

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How Calorie Content Makes You Rethink Food Choices

Neuroscience NewsDecember 21, 2018

A neuroimaging study reveals seeing images of food with calorie information alters the way the brain responds to the food, making the item seem less appealing.... Read More...

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Gut Hormone Increases Response to Food

Neuroscience NewsDecember 12, 2018

Researchers discover activity in brain regions involved in reward response from dopamine was higher in subjects injected with the hormone ghrelin, but only when responding to images associated with food smells. The study reports ghrelin controls the extent to which the brain associates reward with food odors.... Read More...

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Researchers Find Brain Signal that May Help Us Navigate the Holiday Buffet

Neuroscience NewsOctober 20, 2018

Researchers report they have discovered the region of the brain that registers excitement over a preferred food option. The study reports the findings could help develop new therapies and treatments to potentially combat obesity and encourage healthier eating.... Read More...

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the amygdala is highlighted in this brain image

Pyramid Shaped Neurons Provide Algorithm for Us to Recognize and Categorize Food

Neuroscience NewsOctober 4, 2018

Researchers report pyramidal neurons in the basolateral amygdala help us to recognize and categorize foods.... Read More...

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How Children Want Their Food Served

Neuroscience NewsSeptember 3, 2018

According to a new study, children have different preferences for how their food is served, based on gender and age.... Read More...

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How the Brain Reacts to Food May Be Linked to Overeating

Neuroscience NewsJuly 19, 2018

A new study reports when certain brain areas react more strongly to food rewards than financial rewards, children are more likely to overeat, even if they are not hungry or overweight.... Read More...

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Image shows the researcher testing beer.

Beer Can Lift Your Spirits: Hordenine Activates Brain’s Reward Center

Neuroscience NewsSeptember 30, 2017

Hordenine, a substance present in beer and malted barley, activates dopamine D2 receptors through G proteins, leading to a possibly prolonged effect on the brain's reward center, researchers report.... Read More...

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