How the brain controls appetite

15 October 2007

UCL researchers have identified the circuits in the brain that control how much we eat, in
research that could have dramatic impact on the treatment of obesity and eating disorders.

In a paper published in Nature today, lead author Dr Rachel Batterham, a clinician scientist for
the Medical Research Council based at UCL Medicine, explains how her team used functional
magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to show that the hormone which controls appetite operates
through two areas of the brain. The primitive homeostatic regions of the brain, which control
feeding, and the cortico-limbic regions, which determine the rewarding and pleasurable aspects
of eating, were both found to become active in the presence of peptide YY (PYY), a naturally
occurring hormone that regulates appetite.
The team conducted a double-blind placebo-controlled study of eight normal-weight men. Each
went without food for 14 hours and was then given an intravenous drip of either PPY or placebo
for 100 minutes, during which their brains were scanned constantly. After another 30 minutes
they were offered as much food as they wanted. The same test was carried out a week later with
each subject given the other intravenous drip. In every participant, the PPY infusion caused a
reduction in food consumption, and leading to an average of 25 per cent fewer calories
consumed.
Dr Batterham explained: In the food-deprived state, brain activity within the hypothalamus
predicted how much food the subjects ate. However, in the presence of increased PYY levels,
mimicking a meal, there was a switch in the circuits controlling eating so that brain activity
within the orbitofrontal cortex now predicted feeding behaviour.
It is hoped studies using fMRI-based physiological approaches may help determine whether
pharmacological or other interventions target appetite-regulating regions.

Dr Batterham added: The obesity crisis continues unabated with 23 per cent of the UK adult
population and 33 per cent of the US adult population now classified as obese. Whilst we know
that body weight is determined by a balance between food intake and energy expenditure a
clearer understanding of the brain circuits that regulate these processes could allow us to tackle
one of the biggest health burdens western societies face today.
Dr Batterham concluded that: Our study provides insights into how biological signals affect not
only how full we feel but also the enjoyment of eating and may determine whether we reach for a
second helping or are satisfied with the first. Understanding which brain regions control eating in
different environmental conditions may help us to develop more targeted treatments for people
with weight problems. Further research is now needed to investigate whether underweight and
overweight people have abnormalities in these circuits.
To find out more, follow the links at the top of this article.
Image: Dr Rachel Batterham