At least 75 million adults and 12.5 million children in India are overweight obese, according to World Health Organization data. No wonder then, that both the news and social media seem obsessed with an ever-evolving cycle of fad diets and &ldquo;wonder&rdquo; drugs.
While popular culture fixates on quick fixes, scientists are still working to understand how the brain affects appetite. According to a new study published in Nature, researchers have now found a group of brain cells, called BNC2 neurons, that could revolutionize obesity treatment.
Groundbreaking discovery
Imagine a railway crossing. The signal light tells the gate when to close, and the gate tells oncoming drivers to stop while the train passes.
BNC2 neurons are like the gate operator. Located in the hypothalamus, a gland deep in the brain, BNC2 neurons react to food cues like taste and nutritional value--unlike other brain cells.
The signal light in this analogy is leptin, a hormone that fat cells send to the brain to signal it to suppress hunger.
In some people, the gate doesn&rsquo;t always function properly, even if the signal light works.
By identifying these cells, the current study could help future researchers create anti-obesity treatments by fixing faults in &ldquo;gate operator&rdquo;.
To prove the connection between BNC2 neurons and hunger suppression, researchers deactivated the leptin-receptors in the brains of some mice. These mice ended up overeating and becoming obese. Researchers also noticed that, when the mice were fed after a period of fasting, their BNC2 neurons &ldquo;lit up&rdquo; while previously known neurons did not react.
Existing medications like Ozempic focus on insulin pathways but can cause side effects such as nausea. Drugs targeting leptin and BNC2 neurons could offer an alternative, especially for those who can&rsquo;t tolerate current treatments.
Strong Bonafides
The study was led by researchers from the Laboratory of Molecular Genetics at Rockefeller University in New York, the Institute for Genome Science (IGS) at the University of Maryland School of Medicine (UMSOM) in Baltimore, as well as New York and Stanford Universities.
Brian Herb, PhD, a scientist at IGS and a Research Associate of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Drug Development at UMSOM is one of the researchers behind the current study. His research, published last year in Science Advances, was the first time that scientists used single-cell technology to map the cells in the developing hypothalamus in humans, from precursor stem cells to mature neurons.
&ldquo;Since our earlier research showed that unique regulatory programmes in genes give rise to specialized neuronal populations -- it makes sense that this new research discovered a previously unknown set of neurons that regulate energy and food intake,&rdquo; Dr Herb said.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
While still in its early stages, these findings could lead to breakthroughs in personalized therapies, which could help millions struggling with weight management.

AI representation of a lit-up brain surrounded by vegetables and exercise

New neurons linked to hunger control could pave the way for advanced obesity treatments

Hidden Brain Cells May Unlock Obesity Solutions

New neurons linked to hunger control could pave the way for advanced obesity treatments

December 18, 2024 | 17:17 IST