BRAIN STIMULATION CAN CUT FOOD CRAVINGS

London, May 21: Stimulating the brain to alter its intrinsic reward system can help reduce food cravings, paving the way for safe therapies to treat obesity, scientists say.

Obesity is a global epidemic, with approximately 650 million adults and 340 million children and adolescents currently considered obese, and the disease contributing to an estimated 2.8 million deaths per year worldwide.

It has been reported that, in some obesity cases, the reward system in the brain may be altered, causing a greater reward response to food than in normal weight individuals.

This can make patients more vulnerable to craving, and can lead to weight gain. This dysfunction in the reward system can also be seen in cases of addiction to substances eg drugs or alcohol, or behaviours such as gambling.

Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation ( dTMS) is a medical treatment that uses magnetic energy to stimulate neurons in specific areas of the brain.

It is used to treat depression and addictive behaviours, and previous studies have suggested that dTMS could be a good option to reduce drug and food cravings.

However, the potential mechanism driving these changes had not been investigated.

Researchers from the IRCCS ( Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico) in Italy, investigated the effects of dTMS on appetite and satiety in obese people.