Scientists have found a link between brain activity and sweet cravings

Researchers from Stony Brook University (USA) made a revolutionary discovery by establishing a direct link between brain activity and sweet taste preference. During experiments on laboratory mice, scientists found that special neurosteroid molecules can significantly alter the perception of sweet taste.

The study revealed that increasing levels of the neurosteroid allopregnanolone in the gustatory cortex (the area responsible for taste perception) leads to decreased sensitivity to sweetness. As a result, the test animals significantly reduced their consumption of sweet food or completely lost interest in it.

Using advanced genetic methods, researchers conducted an experiment removing specific receptors responsible for neurosteroid response in mice. The result was impressive - the rodents lost their ability to distinguish between regular and sweetened water, which irrefutably proved the key role of these receptors in taste perception.

This discovery is particularly significant for understanding the mechanisms of human food preference regulation. Notably, people with obesity often show elevated levels of allopregnanolone, which may be related to changes in their taste sensations and eating behavior.