All articles tagged with #hunger regulation
Scientists have discovered that the protein MRAP2 helps transport the hunger receptor MC4R to the cell surface, enhancing its ability to send satiety signals, which could lead to new obesity therapies.
Researchers at Duke University have discovered a potential new 'sense' in the gut involving nerve cells called neuropods that detect bacterial signals, specifically flagellin, and communicate with the brain via the vagus nerve to regulate hunger, suggesting a complex gut-brain-microbiome connection that could have significant health implications.
Prescription injectables like Ozempic and Wegovy, which belong to a class of drugs called GLP-1 agonists, are helping people achieve weight loss by regulating appetite and decreasing gastric emptying time. These drugs act as chemical messengers, mimicking the natural hormone GLP-1 and making the brain's receptors send signals of fullness. By quieting the "food noise" in the brain, these drugs help individuals stick to healthy habits and overcome the body's mechanisms that resist weight loss. While the medication is not a quick fix and may not work for everyone, when combined with lifestyle changes, it can lead to significant weight loss and improve overall health.
Researchers have studied jellyfish and fruit flies to explore the mechanisms underlying feeding regulation and the evolutionary origins of neuropeptides that control hunger and feelings of fullness. They found that the jellyfish Cladonema regulates how much it eats based on how hungry it is, and identified GLWamide as a feeding-suppressing neuropeptide. GLWamide acts as a satiety signal, indicating that the body has had enough food. The researchers also found that GLWamide and the neuropeptide myoinhibitory peptide (MIP) in fruit flies share similarities in their structures, suggesting they are related through evolution. The study highlights the deep evolutionary origins of a conserved satiety signal and the importance of a comparative approach in investigating the role of molecules, neurons, and circuits in regulating behavior.