Yes, there is a “dessert stomach”, some scientists have just found it

You finish eating in a restaurant. Do you have Full belly Say enough. In fact, you left a little food on a plate. However, when the waiter asks you if you want a dessert, you jump like spring, and, to the surprise of everyone at the table, you assure yes. Something light. Maybe a Blacksmith chocolate. If you think that this story describes you perfectly, of course, you once said that you have The second stomach is reserved for dessertThe field and it is also very likely that they laughed at you for making such a statement. Well, don’t worry. Now you can give all these people a science on the face, since what is happening to you has a scientific explanation. Of course, the truth is that this is not the second stomach, but The question of neurons.

This second stomach for desserts found in the brain was described Scientists of the Institute of Max Planck In the study that has just been published. It contains research data with mice, as well as people.

The latter is important, because a significant part of the phenomena described in laboratory animals cannot be extrapolated on people. In this case, it was noticed yes. In our brain there are a number of neurons that They invite us to eat sugar Even if we are completely saturated. This is the second stomach that we leave for desserts.

Research on mice on the famous second dessert stomach

Our nervous systemWith the brain on the head (never better), he constantly communicates with the digestive system. Thanks to this, among many others, we experience a feeling of satiety When we ate a lot or we feel hungry when Energy reserves are exhaustedThis is usually done by release Hormones, such as Grelin or Leptin. The first is mainly secreted in the stomach and intestines and indicates the brain that we should eat because energy reserves expire. So the feeling of hunger is born. As for leptin, it is usually released from fat cells, and its function is completely contrary to. When we ate a lot The support of the stomach slows down And the brain is indicated, generated a feeling of satiety.

Therefore, when we eat a lot and feel complete, it is especially because of the processes that leptin is released. However, sometimes this situation, which we described at the beginning. We are full, but the very fact of reflection on the dessert already generates more hunger. Or maybe we are not hungry, but as soon as we try, we cannot stop eating. We do not feel so complete.

To check why this is happening, the authors of the study that has just been published conducted a study with mice. They continued to turn on and turn off various groups of neurons to see how they influenced the feeling of satiety. Thus, he found a group of neurons Pomc calls They gave an interesting effect. Under normal conditions, sugar mice were a pyrrd and could not stop eating when they tried. However, when these neurons were inhibited, the mice remained saturated when they were tested by sugar, so they decided not to eat. With hungry mice There was no difference there.

Double function

It was found that these neurons release signal molecules that contribute to satiety when there is no sugar between them. However, when some glucose enjoy the same cells. Beta -EndorphinsSome molecules that, combining opioid receptors, cause a sense of pleasure that mice offers more. Therefore, this is not the second stomach for desserts, but a group of neurons, which They generate a lot of pleasure. Or generate them. Let’s see what is happening to people.

We also experience this

To see if people have this second metaphorical stomach in the brain, a group of volunteers gave a group of volunteers Glucose solution analyzing your brain using scannerThus, it was clear that when they were saturated and consumed glucose, the same areas in the brain were activated, as was done in mice. These are regions in which there are many opioid receptors, so it is intuitive that Pomc and endorphins neurons make their own.

Why is this a second metaphorical stomach?

Our brain does not distinguish Energetic and healthy. If we think about our ancestors, it was useful for them that there was something very high in calories, because it gave them the necessary energy to avoid any danger. Therefore, we evolutionarily develop those remuneration systems that give us pleasure from using a hamburger or chocolate cake. Thus, we do this again, in case you have to run away from the threat. These remuneration systems usually work by exemption from Dopamine

Nevertheless, now we know that beta -endorphins that stand out when we eat sugar are also involved. In short, our second metaphorical stomach has a very important function: to motivate us to have energy to launch a lion to pursue us while we collected berries. Well, it does not happen to us anymore, but we cannot forget everything that developed. We still have the remains, and if they are there, this is because they continue to serve. Tell me, who laughs at you when it insists on eating dessert.