Bariatric surgery alters our brains
A finnish study has shown that bariatric surgery along with weight loss normalises the brains opioid neurotransmission, which is involved in generating a feeling of pleasure. The research highlights how obesity has an effect at the molecular level within the brain and how much weight loss can affect this. The findings suggest that a lack of opioid receptors (which cause a feeling of pleasure), in the brains of obese individuals, means that they must eat more in order to feel pleasure.
Furthermore, as the levels of receptors normalised after weight loss, it is understood that lower levels in obese people is a consequence of obesity, rather than a cause. This finding helps us understand the molecular involvement of obesity on a much different level than previously thought, and may provide a new option for behavioural and pharmacological treatment.
