Simply Looking at Food Triggers an Inflammatory Response in the Brain
The sight of food triggers an inflammatory reaction in the brain. Even before carbohydrates enter the body, the sheer sight and smell of a meal trigger the release of insulin. Researchers from the University of Basel and University Hospital Basel have demonstrated for the first time that the insulin release in these circumstances is dependent on a transient inflammatory response. However, in obese individuals, this inflammatory response is so extreme that it can actually impair their capacity to secrete insulin. The body reacts to food in many different ways, the most well-known of which is perhaps the wetting of the mouth. However, before we even take a mouthful of food, the hormone insulin, which controls blood sugar, enters the picture. The cephalic (or neurally mediated) phase of insulin secretion is this stage. Meal boosts immunological response Prior to this study, it was unclear how the sensory perception of a meal prompted the pancreas to produce more insulin. A vital component...