Journal of Experimental Biology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 227(13)
Published: July 1, 2024
Deciding how much to eat is a complicated process, involving energy we have stored, what food was available before, healthy the and remember about all these things. When scarce, our bodies efficiently store for survival, but animal's brains manage delicate balance between they consume their stores not clear. Like us, fruit flies, Drosophila melanogaster, convert into glucose extra as glycogen. Flies monitor levels using insulin-like hormones that inform stored These influence group of neurons responsible assessing pleasure derived from food, by releasing chemical messenger called octopamine in brain. Mutant flies do make less sugar, live longer struggle with taste learning, memory sugary improves over time. Henrike Scholz colleagues University Köln, Germany, were curious understand octopamine's role combining information reserves, quality, evaluation different types related formation flies.To assess impact internal on food-related memories, researchers trained associate smell sugar reward, find out starvation affected insects' memories. starved 16 h before training, formed short-term memories smell's association lasted up 3 h; however, 40 lasting (∼24 h). unable produce more stable form memory. findings suggest being hungry affects well last Longer periods without result even don't octopamine.The team then checked whether hunger foods choose. normal (control) octopamine-deficient mutant starved, glycogen decreased However, initially had higher than controls after remained comparatively high. The scientists tested preferences offering them foods. interested short starvation, overate despite still having stores. This suggests liking changes based levels.How does condition body's help pleasurable sensations feel when regulate intake? Insulin-like hormone signals control body. So see blocking insulin might brain's reward system, which signalled octopamine. They found lacking large reserves reduced because receptor integrates rewarding eat. her also discovered signalling resulted positive though plentiful reserves. In other words, well-fed thanks signalling, could no sense loss leaving at risk overeating.Scholz colleagues' study sheds light reactions rewards, helps explain why some animals overeat, disruption signalling.
Language: Английский