Brain genes change according to the food consumed

BARCELONA, February 28 (EUROPA PRESS) –

A scientific team from the Genomic Regulatory Center (CRG) in Barcelona has discovered how brain genes are changing with ingested foods and discovered that an obesogenic diet – in energy – triggers changes in the expression of genes from areas of the brain.

The study, published in the journal "eNeuro", shows that small changes in the expression of many genes correlate with physical and behavioral changes in mice, giving clues about how an obesogenic environment can cause behavioral changes and alterations. the physical ones that lead to obesity.

Researchers from CRG Ilario de Toma, Marta Fructuoso and Mara Dierssen, in collaboration with Bartek Wilczynski of the University of Warsaw, investigated changes in gene expression in certain regions of the brain associated with the disease. balance between energy and reward when the animals are ingested. called "obesogenic" diets.

They thought this work would show them why the mice ended up being overweight or eating too much when they had free access to a chocolate diet.

Until now, very little was known about how this diet led to changes in gene expression in the brain and coordination of these changes.

In their research, they studied changes in gene expression of mice accessing a high-energy diet, and mice fed this diet found themselves with excess weight and similar compulsive behaviors. to the way obesity develops in humans.

Obesity is a growing problem around the world. In the United States, experts predict that over 85% of adults will be overweight or obese by 2030.

Obesity greatly increases the risk of developing other chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart and circulatory diseases, depression, certain cancers and premature death.