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obesity

This shows an hour glass with healthy and unhealthy foods.

·February 19, 2025·8 min read

Life Expectancy Gains Have Stalled: Poor Diet and Obesity to Blame

A new study finds that life expectancy improvements across Europe have slowed significantly since 2011. Key factors include rising obesity, poor diets, and physical inactivity, along with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 15, 2025·5 min read

Food Memories Drive Overeating and Obesity

A new study identifies neurons in the hippocampus that store food-specific memories, directly influencing overeating and body weight. These neurons, which encode memories for sugar and fat, act as "memory traces" that drive dietary behavior and metabolism.

Featured Neuroscience

·December 16, 2024·5 min read

Endocannabinoids Hold Potential to Curb Obesity

A new study reveals that modulating endocannabinoids in the brain can reduce food intake and boost physical activity, offering a promising path to combat obesity. Researchers found that inhibiting the enzyme ABHD6 in the brain’s nucleus accumbens reduced mice’s motivation for food while increasing their interest in exercise.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·December 5, 2024·4 min read

New Appetite Regulating Neurons Discovered

Researchers have identified a previously unknown population of neurons in the hypothalamus that play a critical role in regulating appetite. These neurons express both leptin receptors and the BNC2 gene, making them highly responsive to hunger-suppressing signals and food-related sensory cues.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·December 2, 2024·5 min read

Visceral Fat May Indicate Alzheimer’s Risk Decades Before Symptoms

A new study links visceral fat, a deep layer of abdominal fat, to increased brain amyloid and tau proteins—key markers of Alzheimer’s disease—decades before dementia symptoms arise. Researchers found that visceral fat accounted for 77% of the relationship between high BMI and amyloid accumulation, while other fat types showed no similar impact. The study highlights how managing visceral fat through lifestyle changes or medication could reduce Alzheimer's risk.

This shows an AI representation of mitochondria.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·November 22, 2024·4 min read

Mitochondrial Gene Editing Reveals Links to Memory

Researchers used mitochondrial gene editing to model genetic disorders in mice, revealing profound impacts on brain function, metabolism, and thermoregulation. They employed a specialized DNA editing tool to induce mutations in the ND5 mitochondrial gene, disrupting energy production and causing learning deficits, hippocampal atrophy, and obesity.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 13, 2024·6 min read

Study Links Stress Hormones to Diabetes

New research suggests that stress hormones, rather than impaired insulin signaling, may primarily drive diabetes in obesity. This study found that high levels of stress hormones, like norepinephrine, counter insulin’s effects, leading to insulin resistance even with intact insulin signaling. When genetically modified mice couldn’t produce these stress hormones, they avoided diabetes despite obesity. This breakthrough may explain why some obese individuals develop diabetes while others don’t.

Featured Neuroscience

·November 7, 2024·5 min read

Newly Discovered Brain Neurons May Help Curb Hunger

Scientists have uncovered a new neuron type, BNC2, which acts quickly to counter hunger-promoting neurons, potentially leading to more effective appetite regulation. These BNC2 neurons, located in the brain’s arcuate nucleus, respond rapidly to hunger cues by inhibiting AGRP neurons responsible for driving appetite. This discovery adds a crucial layer to our understanding of the neural circuits controlling hunger and opens the door for novel treatments for obesity and metabolic conditions.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·July 15, 2024·5 min read

Adjusting Proteins Increases Ozempic’s Effectiveness

Adjusting melanocortin proteins in the brain enhances the effectiveness of GLP-1 diabetes and weight-loss drugs. By inhibiting MC3R or activating MC4R, mice showed increased sensitivity to these drugs, leading to more significant weight loss and reduced feeding without additional side effects.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·July 15, 2024·4 min read

Obesity Gene Influences Brain Activity

Researchers have identified the SH2B1 gene's crucial role in regulating food intake and energy expenditure. Mutations in SH2B1 are linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·July 2, 2024·6 min read

Oxytocin’s Link to Obesity and Postnatal Depression

A new study has identified the TRPC5 gene as a cause of obesity, behavioral issues, and postnatal depression. Researchers found that missing or impaired TRPC5 genes disrupt oxytocin neurons, crucial for regulating appetite and emotions. This discovery offers potential new treatments, like using oxytocin to alleviate symptoms. The findings emphasize the biological basis of certain behaviors and conditions.

This shows an overweight person running.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·June 10, 2024·4 min read

Evening Exercise Lowers Blood Sugar in Overweight Adults

Moderate to vigorous physical activity in the evening significantly lowers daily blood sugar levels in sedentary adults with overweight and obesity. Researchers found that this timing is more effective than morning or afternoon exercise for glucose control.