The first few bites of that delicious meal are triggering an irresistible double tap of dopamine in your brain, suggests new research. Understanding this repetitive pleasure cycle helps explain why curbing cravings and cutting calories is so difficult, especially around the holidays when we’re surrounded by delectable delights.
Researchers at the Max Plank Institute in Germany used a new positron emission tomography (PET) technique to track the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine in specific brain regions when volunteers ate either a tasty milkshake or a tasteless solution. The study found that dopamine was released twice in the brains of those drinking the milkshake: first when the milkshake was ingested and again when it hit the stomach.
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Dopamine, often called the “pleasure chemical,” is more accurately the brain’s primary reward chemical, as it plays roles in both identifying and reinforcing rewarding/pleasurable experiences.
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“While the first release occurred in brain regions associated with reward and sensory perception, the post-ingestive release involved additional regions related to higher cognitive functions,” said senior author Marc Tittgemeyer, head of the Institute’s Translational Neurocircuitry Group.
The study also found a link between the volunteers’ craving of the milkshake and the amount of dopamine eventually released. The higher the craving, the more dopamine was initially released, but less was released when the milkshake hit their stomachs.
This finding reinforces the notion that our cravings typically outpace how much we’ll ultimately enjoy whatever we eat. The first few bites of the steak or cheesecake match the depth of our desire, but little by little the high diminishes, even while we keep shoveling in the calories in pursuit of fleeting pleasure.
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“On one hand, dopamine release mirrors our subjective desire to consume a food item. On the other hand, our desire seems to suppress gut-induced dopamine release,” added Heiko Backes, co-first author of the study.
This was a small study and the findings aren’t conclusive; more research will follow. But for the moment it provides at least one helpful takeaway: remember that your cravings are fueled by not just one but two generous jolts of a potent brain chemical that routinely smashes our willpower. Plan your exposure to delicious treats accordingly.
The study was published in the journal Cell Metabolism.
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Source: https://t-tees.com
Category: WHY
