Brain hormone can burn fat in the gut, says study
Posted on: 31/Jan/2017 12:19:22 PM
Scientists from The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) in the US have identified a brain hormone that can trigger fat burning in the gut. The researchers from found a brain hormone that specifically and selectively stimulates fat metabolism, without any effect on food intake. The findings were published in the journal Nature Communications.
Speaking about this, the authors of the study said, This was basic science that unlocked an interesting mystery. We experimented with roundworms called C. elegans, which are often used as model organisms in biology. These worms have simpler metabolic systems than humans, but their brains produce many of the same signaling molecules, leading many researchers to believe that findings in C. elegans may be relevant for humans.
The study revealed that FLP-7 was, indeed, secreted from neurons in the brain in response to elevated serotonin levels. FLP-7 then travels through the circulatory system to start the fat burning process in the gut. The newly discovered fat-burning pathway works like this - a neural circuit in the brain produces serotonin in response to sensory cues, such as food availability. This signals another set of neurons to begin producing FLP-7 and then activates a receptor in intestinal cells and the intestines begin turning fat into energy.
