Can Not Put Off Weight? Brain Scarring Can Be A Cause

You are trying to put off weight by following a healthy diet and watching what you eat, as well as doing exercises, but those nasty extra pounds do not want to disappear at no means. You can not achieve success for weeks, and can not understand what can be the reason of that. Does it sound familiar to you? What if obesity is linked to certain processes or changes in our brain?  Recently, a new and very interesting theory was created by a group of American scientists who are suggesting that overweight people have some type of inflammation and even a type of brain scarring in certain area which controls their body mass. That is why it is so very hard to shed pounds and keep them off.

A group of scientists at the University of Washington, Seattle, carried out a series of experiments with lab rats and mice. The animals were genetically bred to have extra weight and be obese. It turned out that after switching to a fat-high diet, within 24 hours the hypothalamus, the part of the brain that receives signals about being hungry or full, starts showing obvious signs of inflammation. According to Dr. Michael Schwartz, one of the study leaders and professor of medicine in the Diabetes and Obesity Center of Excellence, any sort of high-fat diet “is actually injuring the neurons that are supposed to protect them from obesity.”

To support their findings, the scientists analyzed MRI scans of 34 healthy participants of the experiment. It became apparent that the people with extra weight had certain type of brain scarring (known also as gliosis) caused by the mentioned injuries of neurones. At that, the more extra weight a person had, the more brain scarring was registered. The findings were considered sufficient to form a basics for a new theory about the changes in the brain caused by increased fat consumption.

“Our paper provides direct evidence to support that hypothesis, because we do find evidence of fixed structural change in the brain area most important for body-weight control in obese individuals and animals,” Dr. Schwartz said. The specialist underlined that the findings of his research group gave one more reason for all of us to do healthy choices when it comes to our diet and nutrition. Read more about this interesting study, as well as check out the comments and opinions of the experts on the findings of American nutritionists, in the latest issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

Author Info: Hi! My name is Carla and I am a 5th year medical student at HYMS. I am interested in alternative medicine and I have done months researching the topic of herbal medicine. Besides, I like interviewing people and learning more about their experiences with one or another type of herbal treatments. I am willing to contribute to this site with my knowledge, and I would be happy to help you out to the best of my ability with any specific questions or problems related to alternative medicine.

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