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A study conducted by CNR di Pozzuoli and the Université Laval di Québec and published in Nature Communications studied overweight and its effects on episodic memory. Tests performed on rats found that being overweight affects brain function, leading to memory loss.
In fact it has been found that the brain of obese mice undergoes changes, in structure and function, of hippocampal circuits and in the ability to perform certain cognitive tasks in an optimal way, especially in relation to memory.
The importance of episodic memory
The mammalian brain continues to generate neurons throughout life; neuronal production particularly affects episodic memory, which is the ability to remember personal events and consequently to plan individual actions in the future. Episodic memory is stored in the hippocampus.
Well, the study found that two molecules would cause dysfunction: the neuropeptide orexin and the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylgligerol. These would affect the normal activities of the hippocampus in adulthood, a phenomenon that becomes more apparent in obese individuals. Therefore, memory loss would add to the cognitive concerns that occur in adults with a high body mass index.
Overweight, a worldwide problem
Psychological factors also play a crucial role: in fact, we tend to eat more in front of the TV when we are confused and episodic memory is less involved. In other words, being overweight can make it harder to memorize what and how much you ate, increasing the likelihood of overeating.
Understanding how we instinctively regulate our consumption and eating behavior is important to developing therapeutic strategies against overweight
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