When diets don’t work and bariatric surgery hasn’t worked either… what can be done to treat obesity? It is a question that can now also be addressed from Neuroscience.
In recent years, much progress has been made in understanding the neural bases of obesity, both about the brain structures that are related to this health problem and its neuropsychiatric foundations. In this sense, it is known that a brain structure called the hypothalamus has an important role in the neurophysiology of obesity, and that what is called the ‘reward brain circuit’ is associated with the pathological search for food. Part of this circuit is the nucleus accumbens, an area related to pleasure.
In line with other research with pathologies such as obsessive compulsive disorder or depression, the possibility of treating obesity with neuromodulation techniques is raised, specifically with deep brain stimulation. In order to review this question exhaustively, Allen L. Ho, from the Stanford University School of Medicine, and other researchers recently published an article in Cureus (2015). The text proposes the suitability of deep brain stimulation to help people with obesity to better control their behavior and weight. This technique involves the use of a neurostimulator that is surgically placed on the person and that applies electrical impulses to the chosen areas of the brain.
According to the authors, the two ‘target’ areas of this stimulation in the case of obesity would be the lateral hypothalamus and the nucleus accumbens. The lateral hypothalamus is known as the center that regulates hunger and the alteration in the levels of one of its hormones, leptin, has been linked to obesity. In studies with rodents, weight loss has already been observed after deep brain stimulation of this structure.
The nucleus accumbens has shown its relevance in addictions. Some obese people have behaviors with a pattern similar to them, such as binge eating, which has been linked to an alteration in the reward circuit. Studies have been carried out with humans and neuroimaging techniques in which it has been observed how the activity of this structure is related to photos of hypercaloric food. Studies with deep brain stimulation in animals have also shown that animals reduce food-seeking behavior and lose weight.
Once again, it seems that the brain holds clues to many health problems. It is clear that the approach to such a frequent and costly problem as obesity must be multidisciplinary and involve the use of various techniques. The best thing is that progress continues in this effort to improve the quality of life of many people.
Marisa Fernández, Senior Neuropsychologist, Unobrain
