MU scientists look to tackle binge eating

The prevailing wisdom is that bigger portions have led to bigger Americans. Thus, to address the epidemic of obesity in the United States, a team of researchers from the University of Missouri wanted to see if they could discover a way to rewire our system to discourage binge eating.

The researchers deactivated the bisolateral amygdala — the region of the brain responsible for emotion regulation — in lab rats, hoping to curb the impulse that tells the brain to keep eating past the point of being full. Assistant Professor of Psychological Sciences Matthew Will explains why they targeted this part of the brain:

Humans have more programming to start and continue eating than to stop eating, especially when they have a bowl of ice cream in front of them. Most of us would finish it even if we weren’t hungry.

It’s a vestigial survival instinct — one that’s a disservice in light of abundant and calorie-rich food. The binging impulse that kept our ancestors alive is likely what is sending us to an early grave. And it’s all based on the euphoria we feel while working our way towards the bottom of a pint of Ben & Jerry’s.