Researchers unlock mechanisms in brain that separate food consumption from cravings
"Non-homeostatic eating can be thought of as eating dessert after you've eaten an entire meal," said Kyle Parker, a former grad student and investigator in the MU Bond Life Sciences Center. "I may know that I'm not hungry, but this dessert is delicious so I'm going to eat it anyway. We're looking at what neural circuitry is involved in driving that behavior." Matthew J. Will, an associate professor of psychological sciences in the MU College of Arts and Science, a research investigator in the Bond Life Sciences Center and Parker's adviser, says for behavior scientists, eating is described as a two-step process called the appetitive and consummatory phases. "I think of the neon sign for a donut shop -- the logo and the aroma of warm glazed donuts are the environmental cues that kick start the craving, or appetitive, phase," Will said. "The consummatory phase is after you have that donut in hand and eat it." Parker stud...