Dopamine leads to over-eating and eventually weight gain, says new research

Pleasure and timing are interlinked, not only in life but in our body as well, finds a recent study. The brain's pleasure sector has an integrated connection with the human biological clock. Thus, high-calorie food, which makes one happy and content, can disturb one's regular schedule without even being noticed before it's too late. As a result, overweight and obesity are a compulsion. But that is not all that comes with happiness through overeating. One can be prone to diabetes, heart diseases, hypertension and even cancer due to ill-eating habits. According to the study, the eating pattern in the United States has worsened in the past 50 years. "With highly processed foods readily and cheaply available at any time of the day or night," Ali Guler, a professor of biology at the University of Virginia, said. "Many of these foods are high in sugars, carbohydrates, and calories, which makes for an unhealthy diet when consumed regularly over many years." Guler and his co-workers, in a study published in Current Biology on Thursday, described that the portion of our brain that secretes dopamine and the other part determining the human clock are synced. Guel and his team had used mice to conduct the study and reach such result. "We've shown that dopamine signalling in the brain governs circadian biology and leads to consumption of energy-dense foods between meals and during odd hours," said Guler.