| We all have something watching what we eat - And | | | | the bloodstream also had the same effect on |
| it's inside us right now... As we enjoy delicious meals... | | | | appetite. |
| consuming loads of calorie-laden treats, a "fat | | | | NAPEs were also detected in the brain, concentrated |
| hormone" produced in the small intestine will be | | | | in the area called the hypothalamus, well known to |
| flowing through our bloodstreams and registering on | | | | regulate hunger. This part of the brain has a high |
| the brain the impact of all the fat that's just been | | | | concentration of neurons that are involved in the |
| eaten. | | | | regulation of food intake and was impacted by the |
| At some point, it's this naturally occurring substance | | | | NAPEs in the system. |
| that helps you register that you have eaten your fill. | | | | Lastly, the rodents were given extra NAPEs for five |
| Researchers are hoping that variations of this | | | | days and they also ate less and lost weight. |
| chemical messenger - known as | | | | "We're excited but we have to be cautious," said Dr. |
| N-acylphosphatidylethanolamines, or NAPEs for short - | | | | Gerald Shulman, senior author of a study in rats that's |
| might somehow be used to control appetite and | | | | published in the Nov. 26 issue of the journal Cell. Dr. |
| weight. | | | | Shulman is a researcher at the Howard Hughes |
| The experts believe that differences in how NAPEs | | | | Medical Institute as well as a professor of internal |
| are secreted in those who consume lots of high fat | | | | medicine and cellular and molecular physiology at Yale |
| foods may in fact contribute to rising levels of | | | | University School of Medicine. |
| obesity. | | | | "We would love to be able to take this to man |
| Science has long been working to understand how | | | | tomorrow because we need effective ways to treat |
| the body tells the brain to control what you eat. | | | | obesity and, right now, we have very few agents |
| With rising rates of obesity among both adults and | | | | that work effectively. But we have much work to |
| children, researchers are anxious to unlock and | | | | do." |
| understand this process. | | | | A professor of neuroscience and experimental |
| Hormones like leptin, initially having shown promise, | | | | therapeutics from Texas A&M Health Science |
| have proven disappointing when used in human trials. | | | | Center College of Medicine, David Earnest said, "The |
| Many experts agree that the regulation of hunger | | | | NAPEs work to suppress appetite or decrease food |
| and appetite is a very complex process that may not | | | | intake, [but] feeding is a complex behavior. There are |
| have one single solution. | | | | a lot of factors that figure into eating disorders. The |
| However, there may have just been a significant | | | | findings are very interesting and exciting, basically |
| step in the right direction to find a solution. | | | | because we have identified these NAPEs which are |
| Rats and mice in a recent study, when fed a fatty | | | | synthesized by the gut and presumably can be used |
| meal, produced lots of NAPEs, but when eating meals | | | | in supplementary fashion to treat obesity in humans." |
| heavy in protein or carbs, didn't produce the molecule. | | | | Translate this to more fat feeding studies on human |
| The researchers then synthesized and reinjected the | | | | subjects are needed, but this new research is an |
| rats with NAPEs and they ate less - for close to 12 | | | | encouraging piece of the puzzle - but for the |
| hours or longer. | | | | moment, will take years before any solutions related |
| When smaller amounts of this substance were | | | | to the "fat hormone" hit the streets after sufficient |
| injected into the brain, it had the same effect on the | | | | testing has taken place. |
| rodent's appetite. A larger dose, injected directly into | | | | |