Editor's Choice Academic Journal Main Category: Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness Also Included In: Genetics;Neurology / Neuroscience Article Date: 19 Mar 2012 - 11:00 PDT

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The researchers found that the mutation in the Bdnf (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) gene undermines brain neurons' ability to pass insulin and leptin chemical signals through the brain. Their study involved mice.

When a human being has eaten, leptin and insulin are released into the body and literally tell the body to stop consuming food. However, if the signals do not reach parts of the brain they are supposed to - within the hypothalamus - the person will continue feeling hungry, and will carry on eating.

Baoji Xu, Ph.D., said:

Dr. Xu has been carrying out research on the Bdnf gene for years. He explains that this gene produces a growth factor that regulates how neurons communicate with each other.

Xu has demonstrated that during development, BDNF plays a major role in the formation and maturity of synapses. A synapse is the point where two nerve cells connect; a specialized junction at which a neuron (nerve cell) communicates with a target cell - this is done via chemical signals. The Bdnf gene produces one short and one long transcript. When the long-form BdnfN transcript is not there, the growth factor BDNF is only produced in the body of the neuron, but not in its dendrites. This results in the production of too many immature synapses, which undermines learning and memory in mice.

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Gene Mutation Causes Uncontrolled Obesity