A device that can simulate feelings of fullness and reduce the desire to overeat may offer hope for the obese. The device was used in research conducted at the U.S. Department of Energy's Brookhaven National Laboratory, which demonstrated how the stomach interacts with the emotions to produce overeating and obesity. When researchers implanted a gastric device that simulates a sense of "fullness" in obese patients, they were able to identify the areas of the brain that can lead to overeating. "We were able to simulate the process that takes place when the stomach is full, and for the first time we could see the pathway from the stomach to the brain that turns 'off' the brain's desire to continue eating," said lead researcher, Gene-Jack Wang, of Brookhaven Lab.
Interestingly, the areas of the brain activated are those that handle emotional behaviors, learning, memory and cravings, which are the same regions associated with craving and desire for drugs in drug-addicted patients. "This provides further evidence of the connection between the [brain], the emotions, and the desire to eat, and gives us new insight into the mechanisms by which obese people use food to soothe their emotions," said Wang. "This new pathway should be explored in further studies to determine if there are any implications for treating or preventing obesity."
As far as the actual patients were concerned, the proof was in the pudding. Questionnaires filled out by the participants showed that the stimulator led to a 21 percent reduction in their self-described "emotional eating" behaviors. "This study opens new territory in understanding how the body and brain connect to each other, and how this connection is tied to obesity," said Wang.
Source: Brookhaven National Laboratory
