| The study was
carried out by a team which specialises in the brain cell processes
that produce learning and memory.
The BBC report that Jenni Harvey, one
of the researchers, said: "The hormone leptin, which is known to control
food intake and body weight, has been shown to exert a profound influence
on learning and memory processes in a region of the brain called the
hippocampus.
"Leptin enhances the level of communication
between brain cells in the hippocampus in a process known as long-term
potentiation (LTP)."
Gene defects
It has been shown previously that people
suffering from obesity have defects in their leptin levels and in the
LTP process.
The researchers' findings could therefore
shed light on how obesity affects learning and memory.
Dr Harvey said: "Defects in either
leptin or genes that regulate leptin result in obesity and also cause
impairments in LTP."
How can leptin cause so many problems?
According to Byron Richards, CCN, author
of "Mastering Leptin - The Leptin Diet: Solving Obesity and Preventing
Disease", there are three main ways leptin causes problems:
- Leptin problems enforce starvation
metabolism and slow metabolic rate, resulting in adverse consequences
in using energy everywhere in the body, which affects everything
in an adverse way.
- Low leptin in the brain exposes
brain cells to excessive damage, resulting specifically in damage
to NMDA receptors. This increases the risk for Parkinson's disease.
It also provokes an inflammatory chain of events in the brain leading
to the accumulation of plaques that cause Alzheimer's disease.
- Extra pounds of fat give off excess
inflammatory signals that cause all diseases of ageing.
What causes leptin problems?
According to Richards, leptin problems
are caused by overeating, eating at night, snacking between meals, lack
of exercise, and stress. More rarely there is genetic involvement.
Does leptin cause other problems?
Byron Richards states in the above
book that malfunctioning leptin causes major health problems. These
include insulin resistance, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, metabolic
syndrome X, diabetes, heart disease, reproductive problems, sex hormone
problems, thyroid problems, fibromyalgia, increased risk for cancer,
and increased risk for cognitive decline. According to Richards, leptin
plays a primary role in these problems and is frequently the main cause
of them.
What can be done to overcome leptin
imbalances?
The above mentioned book, "Mastering
Leptin" shows us clearly how we can rebalance the hormone, in a
surprisingly easy way, through diet. This straightforward way of eating
is described briefly in our related article
The Five Rules
for Mastering Leptin - the Hunger Hormone
Other related articles:
Newsletter:
Breakthrough in Understanding Weight Gain
Waist to Hip Ratio
Information
Body Mass
Index Information and Chart
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