Scientists believe they have located a point deep in the brain that links an external trigger to binge-eating or drug-seeking behaviour. They found when they switched off certain brain cells in that location, rats that had once responded excitedly and speedily to cues for sugar - much like binge-eating - responded with less motivation and urgency. The finding could lead to new ways to help people reduce addictive behaviour, they suggest.
The researchers report their findings in the journal Neuron.
Lead author Dr. Jocelyn M. Richard, who researches psychological and brain sciences at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, says: “External cues - anything from a glimpse of powder that looks like cocaine or the jingle of an ice cream truck - can trigger a relapse or binge eating. Our findings show where in the brain this connection between environmental stimuli and the seeking of food or drugs is occurring.”
The area of the brain that the study focuses on is called the ventral pallidum (VP), a structure within the basal ganglia - a collection of brain cell clusters located deep beneath the cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the brain that is often referred to as gray matter. While it is thought that the VP is involved in reward seeking, note the authors, very little is known about its role in triggering behaviour in response to incentive cues.
To investigate this further, the team trained rats to learn that if they pushed a lever when they heard a particular sound - such as a siren or series of sharp beeps - they would be rewarded with a drink of sugar water.
The researchers then got the trained rats to respond to the triggers while they monitored neuron activity within their VP areas.
The team saw that many more neurons than expected became active - and quite vigorously so - as the rats heard the cues they had been trained to respond to.
The researchers also noted that the stronger the neuron activity, the more rapidly the rats responded and sought their reward.
The team could even predict how fast the rats would move toward their reward just from observing the size of the neuron response to the cue, as Dr. Richard explains: “We were surprised to see such a high number of neurons showing such a big increase in activity as soon as the sound played.”
By: Catharine Paddock PhD, MNT
Daily Trust News
ABUJA: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
PORTHARCOURT: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
LAGOS: Training Schedule for Basic Life Support BLS, Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support ACLS, First Aid, CPR, AED
You may also like
NMA Applauds Senate’s Landmark Stand Against Casualisation of Doctors
In what has been described as a landmark victory for justice and profession…
NHIA Strengthens Accountability: Sanctions 49 Healthcare Facilities and 47 HMOs for Service Irregularities
In a determined stride toward enhancing the quality of healthcare delivery …
NHEA: Honouring Excellence to Inspire Innovation and Leadership in Nigeria’s Healthcare
Nigeria’s health sector is set to witness a celebration of excellence, dedi…
NLNG Commissions $500,000 Haematology Laboratory Complex at ATBUTH: A Milestone for Quality Healthcare
In a remarkable gesture that reflects both corporate responsibility and a c…
Bridging the Childhood Cancer Survival Gap: St. Jude, LUTH, and TDCF Unite for Nigeria’s Future
In a determined effort to address one of the starkest disparities in global…
