this post was submitted on 04 Sep 2023
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A new discovery reveals that astrocytes, star-shaped cells in the brain, play a key role in regulating fat metabolism and obesity. These cells act on a cluster of neurons, known as the GABRA5 cluster, effectively acting as a “switch” for weight regulation.

The MAO-B enzyme in these astrocytes was identified as a target for obesity treatment, influencing GABA secretion and thus weight regulation.

KDS2010, a selective and reversible MAO-B inhibitor, successfully led to weight loss in obese mice without impacting their food intake, even while consuming a high-fat diet, and is now in Phase 1 clinical trials.

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[–] wahming@monyet.cc 4 points 1 year ago (9 children)

All those factors are addressed at some point. Keep reading!

[–] Sodis@feddit.de 4 points 1 year ago (8 children)

Nah, sorry, I was out, when they stated, that more exercise and eating less does not help (and then using an arbitrary time span of 12 months). If you violate the laws of physics in your analysis, it is definitely wrong.

[–] wahming@monyet.cc 2 points 1 year ago (7 children)

Calories in calories out is a pretty discredited theory, if that's what you are referring to. The human body is not a closed system, so laws of physics is about as irrelevant as possible. The body can influence how much energy to absorb and burn, within limits.

Seriously, all the points you're bringing up were fully addressed at some point in the article. It's fine if you can't be bothered to read, but it makes no sense to belittle it in that case.

[–] LogarithmicCamel 2 points 1 year ago

This is not true. The laws of thermodynamics apply to open systems as well as long as you take into account the energy that enters and leaves the system, which is exactly what calories in, calories out mean. The brain influencing how many calories are spent is just part of calories out. What doesn't work is equating calories out with imprecise estimates from websites, watches etc, or equating calories in with imprecise calorie counts from food labels that people often miscount anyway. But when calories are carefully measured by scientists (i.e. in a metabolic chamber) and everything is accounted for, it's calories in, calories out all the way.

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