Sugar and the brain

Question 1

How does the brain work when you have a craving?

Answer 1

Mesolimbic or reward pathway (which normally senses hunger) is activated –> Dopamine
If acting on the craving, this system switches to releasing beta endorphins –> brain –> pleasure

Question 2

What happens if the reward/mesolimbic pathway is activated too often?

Answer 2

System develops tolerance: need to eat more to get the same feeling, typical of the addiction state

Question 3

What controls willpower in the brain?

Answer 3

Network of neurons: “inhibitory neural circuits” throughout the brain, but concentrated in areas involved with decision making, impulse control and delaying gratification (prefrontal cortex)
“Brain’s brakes”

Question 4

Effect of sugar on willpower

Answer 4

Decrease/elimination of it through impairment of these inhibitory neural circuits

Question 5

What areas of the brain are mostly affected by high sugar diets, according to research?

Answer 5

• Basolateral amygdala (which registers fear and stress)*
• Prefrontal cortex*
• Hippocampus
• High sugar diets produced fewer synaptic connections in these areas, producing same neuronal appearance as if patients were addicted to alcohol and nicotine
• Sugar is as addictive as Nicotine or alcohol!!

Question 6

What is the Hippocampus responsible for?

Answer 6

Memory formation and navigation, functions performed continually building new neurons or rewiring existing pathways

Question 7

Effect of high sugar diet on Hippocampus, according to research

Answer 7

Resulting low grade inflammation impairs Hippocampus function
Reduces chemicals needed for new neuron formation (damages ability to make new memories)
Significantly impairs navigation