An unprecedented study published in the journal Nature Medicine analyzes the behavior of devices implanted in the brains of two obese people suffering from binge eating.
The device was designed to detect and disrupt brain signals associated with the desire to binge eat, and in six months of testing the results have been encouraging, perhaps opening the door to a future in which implants might control a a number of impulsive behaviors. .
The study
Both patients analyzed were diagnosed with binge eating and were severely obese. They then underwent surgery to implant a brain stimulation device with electrodes, which target the nucleus accumbens.
During the initial period of analysis, the researchers focused on recording the activity of each of the brains, with the goal of finding a distinct signature that might be specifically associated with binge eating behavior.
One of the laboratory experiments involved giving patients large amounts of high-calorie foods. After the initial period, observers switched implants, each programmed with the neural trigger for each candidate’s binge eating disorder.
The device has a closed-loop system, indicating that it is designed to turn its electrical stimuli on and off independently of sensing electrical activity in the brain to which it is attached.
The subjects were then analyzed for another six months, during which the implants worked well and had no adverse effects. Additionally, both patients demonstrated significant decreases in the frequency of binge eating, in addition to a reduction in feelings of loss of control.
On average, each contestant lost regarding 5 pounds over the period, without any diet guidelines.
The study, however, is initially aimed at analyzing safety and feasibility, and it’s too early to tell if this type of brain stimulation works to control binge eating. According to the scientists involved in the experiment, the safety of the device has already been proven.
One of the challenges the researchers faced was finding distinct patterns of brain activity that can only be attributed to loss of control related to binge eating, not regular eating or food cravings. .
After all these months of analysis, some signs have been identified, but more tests will need to be performed to optimize the specificity of signs of binge eating in humans.
Photo en vedette : Lightspring/
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