Clipping Board » Illness Enters through Mouth ─ The information that has been made public is often just the tip of the iceberg...
Update Date: 2010/03/30 02:15 China Times [Intern Reporter Lin Limin / Comprehensive Report]
Scientists have confirmed that eating "junk food" can indeed be addictive. A recent U.S. study found that high-calorie, high-fat foods affect the central nervous system, much like cocaine and heroin, leading to compulsive eating behaviors that are hard to quit. These findings could help develop new treatments for obesity.
Dr. Paul J. Kenny from the Scripps Research Institute in Florida divided rats into three groups for a 40-day experiment. The first group was fed normally; the second group had one hour of access to high-calorie foods like bacon, sausage, frosting, and cheesecake each day; while the third group could consume such high-calorie foods for up to 23 hours a day.
The study showed that rats consuming high-calorie foods not only gained weight but also experienced changes in their brains. Researchers measured the rats' brain electrodes and found that the third group exhibited compulsive eating behaviors, requiring large amounts of food to feel even slightly satisfied—even if they were subjected to electric shocks while eating. The results were published on the 28th in the journal *Nature Neuroscience*.
According to the study, addicted rats had reduced levels of specific dopamine receptors in their brains. Dopamine is a neurochemical that acts on the brain's pleasure centers. With fewer dopamine receptors, addicted rats had to overeat to achieve satisfaction—a mechanism similar to that of heroin and cocaine addiction.
Dr. Kenny noted that genetics also influence the number of receptors. Dr. Gene-Jack Wang, Medical Director at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory, added that environmental factors play a significant role and that results from animal studies can only provide clues, not be directly applied to humans.
Dr. Kenny stated that even if his research doesn't fully translate to humans, it could still help understand the brain mechanisms behind binge eating and lead to new obesity treatments. For example, methods used to treat drug addiction might also be applicable to obesity.
Source: http://tw. news. yahoo. com/ article/ url/ d/ a/ 100330/ 4/ 22yw3. html
Junk Food Like Drugs, Hard to Quit
Scientists have confirmed that eating "junk food" can indeed be addictive. A recent U.S. study found that high-calorie, high-fat foods affect the central nervous system, much like cocaine and heroin, leading to compulsive eating behaviors that are hard to quit. These findings could help develop new treatments for obesity.
Dr. Paul J. Kenny from the Scripps Research Institute in Florida divided rats into three groups for a 40-day experiment. The first group was fed normally; the second group had one hour of access to high-calorie foods like bacon, sausage, frosting, and cheesecake each day; while the third group could consume such high-calorie foods for up to 23 hours a day.
The study showed that rats consuming high-calorie foods not only gained weight but also experienced changes in their brains. Researchers measured the rats' brain electrodes and found that the third group exhibited compulsive eating behaviors, requiring large amounts of food to feel even slightly satisfied—even if they were subjected to electric shocks while eating. The results were published on the 28th in the journal *Nature Neuroscience*.
According to the study, addicted rats had reduced levels of specific dopamine receptors in their brains. Dopamine is a neurochemical that acts on the brain's pleasure centers. With fewer dopamine receptors, addicted rats had to overeat to achieve satisfaction—a mechanism similar to that of heroin and cocaine addiction.
Dr. Kenny noted that genetics also influence the number of receptors. Dr. Gene-Jack Wang, Medical Director at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory, added that environmental factors play a significant role and that results from animal studies can only provide clues, not be directly applied to humans.
Dr. Kenny stated that even if his research doesn't fully translate to humans, it could still help understand the brain mechanisms behind binge eating and lead to new obesity treatments. For example, methods used to treat drug addiction might also be applicable to obesity.
Source: http://tw. news. yahoo. com/ article/ url/ d/ a/ 100330/ 4/ 22yw3. html