Fat hormone sheds light on obesity
Researchers say they have learned more about the hormone that tells us we are full after we eat. That same hormone also regulates our desires for certain foods. The finding may help scientists understand why people gain weight and it could lead to new treatments for obesity, according to Reuters.
From the story:
In the study, published in the journal Science, researchers searched for "circuits" in the brain that signal when a person is hungry or full and found that they were linked to areas involved in determining the enjoyment of food.To see how the hormone worked, the researchers showed the patients pictures of different types of food, ranging from tasty fare like chocolate cake and pizza to blander choices such as cauliflower and broccoli.
The patients with the genetic disorder -- of which there are about a dozen known cases in the world -- liked all types of food, ate excessively and were obese, the researchers said.