A team of biomedical researchers, from the United States and the United Kingdom, has identified an area in the brain involved in stimulating the feeling of fullness.
The research team sought to uncover which parts of the brain are affected by weight-loss drugs. They found that drugs like the popular Ozempic mimic a hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which the body uses to regulate blood sugar levels. The researchers noticed that patients taking the drug tended to lose weight, which they attributed to loss of appetite.
The team assessed obese volunteers' feelings of fullness before and after eating a plate of fried chicken. It was found that participants who took "liraglutide" (a drug similar to Ozempic) felt full before and after eating.
To determine which area of the brain is responsible for these sensations, the researchers focused on the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH), a part of the brain involved in feelings of hunger or fullness, which is mediated by neurons with GLP-1 receptors.
The researchers described two sets of neurons associated with feeling full: one before a meal, and one after eating.
By artificially stimulating neurons while presenting food to the mice, and again after eating it, the researchers were able to focus on the neurons specifically responsible for generating feelings of satiety, before and after a meal.
They then showed that the GLP-1 drugs act on both types of neurons, which explains why they work so well.
The study was published in the journal Science.
This study highlights the potential of GLP-1 drugs.
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