Scientists have discovered that a small group of brain cells may help control binge eating attacks, scientifically termed “binge eating”.
You may have heard of the “binge drinking“, a widespread practice among young people which consists of drinking more than six glasses of alcohol in one go, in order to be drunk as quickly as possible. In the same vein, researchers have looked into the” binge eating “, scientifically called” binge eating disorder “.
Binge eating disorder is characterized by recurrent binge eating without compensatory behavior (i.e. induced vomiting, excessive use of laxatives, fasting, etc.) and is often associated with the practice of restrictive diets and / or activity intense physical. People who suffer from it are usually overweight or obese and develop this disorder in adulthood. Compared to anorexia and bulimia, which affect a small percentage of men (0.3% and 0.5% respectively), the prevalence of binge eating disorder in men is 2.5%, i.e. a rate comparable to that of women (3%).
Feeling out of control
Scientists at the Rutgers Brain Health Institute have found that a small group of brain cells in the hypothalamus called “orexin” could be a promising target for drugs to control binge eating episodes in obese people. These neurons have already been shown to be instrumental in the development of addiction to several drugs, including cocaine.
“Several key symptoms of this eating disorder, such as feeling out of control, overlap with what we know about addiction,” said Dr. Gary Aston-Jones, director of the Institute. The team presented their results this week at the annual meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB), an international group of scientific experts on eating behavior.
Orexin inhibitors
The researchers studied female rats. After changing their eating behavior so that they developed binge eating disorder, they observed what happened if they blocked orexin signals in their brains. Result: “This study proves that the use of orexin inhibitors to reduce excessive food consumption in rodents is effective,” said lead author of the study, Dr Morgan James, researcher at Rutgers Brain Health Institute.
Scientists also found that the orexin blocker reduced the amount of food consumed during episodes of binge eating (rats had unrestricted access to a mixture of fats over a 30-minute period).
Limited pharmacological treatments
“Pharmacologic treatments are currently limited for patients with this eating disorder, so if new therapy could expand treatment options that would be great,” said Dr. Nicholas Bello, a biologist at Rutgers University. The authors will continue their research by studying how the size and number of orexin neurons might be altered following changes in eating habits or weight.
People suffering from binge eating disorder often suffer from overweight or obesity and their consequences (diabetes, high blood pressure, joint problems, heart conditions, etc.). It is estimated that between 20 and 50% of people consulting because of their excess weight actually suffer from binge eating, and that between 30 and 50% of obese people have this eating disorder..
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