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A Northwestern Medicine study suggests that a weaker structural connection between two brain regions related to smell and motivation may contribute to higher BMI, indicating that this connection plays a role in regulating feeding behavior. The findings, derived from MRI data, showed that disruptions in these neural pathways could make food seem more rewarding even when one is full, potentially leading to overeating. Understanding these brain processes is vital for developing treatments for overeating.

A recent study reveals that weaker connections between brain areas related to smell and behavior motivation are associated with higher BMI, suggesting these pathways influence eating habits and the perception of food reward. Why can some people easily stop eating when they are full and others can’t, which can lead to obesity? A Northwestern Medicine study has found one reason may be a newly discovered structural connection between two regions in the brain that appears to be involved in regulating feeding behavior. These regions involve the sense of smell and behavior motivation.



The weaker the connection between these two brain regions, the higher a person’s Body Mass Index (BMI), the Northwestern scientists report. The investigators discovered this connection between the olfactory tubercle, an olfactory cortical region, which is part of the brain’s reward system, and a midbrain region called the periaqueductal gray (PAG), involved in motivated behavior in response to nega.

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