The brain’s sweet spot
Scientists discover a mechanism that drives sugar cravings
Is there a science to your sweet tooth? Researchers from Imperial College London (ICL) believe that the enzyme glucokinase, mainly found in the brain, plays a role in driving our appetite for sugary and starchy foods.
"Our brains rely heavily on glucose for energy. It's clearly a very important nutrient, but in our evolutionary past it would have been hard to come by. So we have a deep-rooted preference for glucose-rich foods and seek them out," head researcher Dr James Gardiner said in a media release.
Glucokinase, an enzyme present in the appetite-regulating section of the hypothalamus, is understood to detect glucose levels in the pancreas and liver. However, prior to the study, its exact role was unknown.
Previous evidence showed that when rats went for 24 hours without eating, an acute increase in glucokinase activity was observed. The rats in the ICL study were given access to a glucose solution alongside their normal food pellets. Using a virus, the team increased glucokinase activity in the hypothalamus, resulting in the rats consuming more of the glucose solution. When glucokinase activity was decreased, the rats correspondingly consumed less glucose solution.
Their findings could mean improved treatments for obesity in the future. "This is the first time anyone has discovered a system in the brain that responds to a specific nutrient, rather than energy intake in general. It suggests that when you're thinking about diet, you have to think about different nutrients, not just count calories," Dr Gardiner said in the release.
Cravings for indulgent desserts and sweet treats? They are, quite literally, all in your head.
Further links:
Medicalnewstoday.com
Jci.org
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