Scientists discover signalling pathway linked to excess food cravings

Researchers in the US have found that a certain signalling pathway in the brain may be linked to a biological mechanism that encourages excessive eating among obese patients.

A UT Southwestern Medical Center study has found that activity in the cAMP-EPAC pathway can induce cellular leptin resistance, which makes the body unreceptive to hormonal indications that it has had enough food.

By blocking this pathway among animal test subjects, leptin resistance was eliminated, which could restore the body's ability to respond to fullness by burning fat and ending hunger cravings.

Dr Joel Elmquist, professor of internal medicine and pharmacology at UT Southwestern, said further studies must now be conducted to assess how vital this mechanism is to maintaining energy balance and leptin sensitivity.

He explained: "These results are potentially interesting and provocative, but the physiological importance remains to be seen."

According to the government's Foresight report, nearly half of UK men and a third of women are predicted to suffer from obesity by 2025.