17 Apr National Geographic: How Junk Food Outsmarts Our Brains—By Hiding in Our Memories
The next time you remember a chocolate bar in a desk drawer, your brain might not just be recalling it—it could be actively pushing you to seek it out.
A recent study published in Nature Metabolism suggests that specific neurons in the hippocampus log the sensory and emotional details of calorie-rich food. In mice, these neurons triggered cravings, leading to overeating—even when the animals weren’t hungry. When researchers silenced these neurons, the rodents reduced their sugar intake and avoided diet-induced obesity.
—