Sweet tooth: Craving for calories, not for sugar

Discussion in 'Human Science' started by Plazma Inferno!, Jan 27, 2016.

  1. Plazma Inferno! Ding Ding Ding Ding Administrator

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    It’s the brain’s desire for calories — not sweetness — that dominates our desire for sugars, according to the recent study.
    Apparently, the brain actually has two segregated sets of neurons to process sweetness and energy signals, both located in striatum, an ancient region of the brain involved in processing rewards.
    Humans have a sweet tooth as one way to ensure we eat enough to give our large brains enough calories to operate at peak efficiency. However, the Yale team studying the brains of mice showed that signals for taste and nutrients are processed in two separate areas of the striatum, the ventral and dorsal, respectively. Signals about the value of taste are processed in the ventral striatum while nutritional value was processed in the dorsal striatum. The dorsal striatum remained responsive to energy even when calories fed to mice were paired with a very aversive taste.

    http://www.psypost.org/2016/01/yale-team-deciphers-sugars-siren-song-40440
     

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