Topic: high-sugar diet

Sweet, high-sugar containing foods are extremely palatable and often consumed in the absence of caloric needs, thereby driving positive energy balance and accelerating obesity development. Pharmacological studies suggest that endogenous opioid signaling in the brain mediates this specific appetite for sugar in satiety states; however, the cellular and circuit mechanisms remain unknown. We find that pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons, which are well known for their satiety promoting effects via the melanocortin-4 receptor system, selectively inhibit postsynaptic neurons in the paraventricular

According to the World Health Organization, there were over 340 million obese or overweight children and adolescents worldwide in 2016. Western diet consumption, based on refined sugars and high-fat foods, leads to obesity and negative effects on the brain, resulting in cognitive impairments even before changes in body weight. This is especially concerning for young people, since brain development, neurogenic processes, and neuronal maturation occur during this life period. Knowing this, our study aimed to analyze the effects of high-caloric diets on the hippocampus, particularly on the gamma-