Interesting study about obesity, stress and the brain. Obese people brains

[snagglepuss]

may be wired differently causing their brains to over-react when glucose levels falls

snip


But the most pronounced reaction was seen in the prefrontal cortex, the 'sensible' part of the brain that prevents people acting on impulse.

When glucose levels lowered, the prefrontal cortex lost its ability to reign back the urgent 'eat' signals.

snip

'Our results suggest that obese individuals may have a limited ability to inhibit the impulsive drive to eat, especially when glucose levels drop below normal,' said co-author Dr Kathleen Page, from the University of Southern California.

Levels of the stress hormone cortisol appeared to activate the brain's reward centres even more than lack of glucose itself, the study showed.



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2039315/Sweet-cravings-triggered-falls-blood-sugar.html#ixzz1YSDB36EE

[applegrove]

1. Well that explains my weight gain.

[HuckleB]

2. I hope to read about the study in the coming weeks...

... but I have little faith that the Daily Fail is truly representing the actual results of the study. My guess is that this is a small, preliminary study that results in, uh, results that are not typically noted over time, and with larger studies. Just...

:(

[laconicsax]

8. I found the study!

PubMed didn't have it until today, but they had a link to the full study: http://dx.doi.org/10.1172/jci57873

Abstract on PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21926468/

[Odin2005]

3. Wow, that explains a lot of my own bad eating habits.

:scared:

[dixiegrrrrl]

4. Interestingly, the beta blocker I am on lowers my stress signals

in a manner of speaking, and I have noticed not only do I feel more mellow, I am eating less and losing some weight.
Must be a connection in there somewhere, eh?

[Historic NY]

5. Stress makes us eat mindlessly...I know.

[jwirr]

6. Does this apply to just those with diabetes or to all obese persons?

[snagglepuss]

7. According to the article the study's participants were obese, no mention of any being

diabetic.