Hormonal
Activation of mesolimbic GLP-1 receptors (specifically in the ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens) by the GLP-1 analog Exendin-4 directly reduces the rewarding value and motivation for palatable food without inducing malaise.
This research indicates that GLP-1 based therapies (like Exendin-4) may work by changing how your brain values food, specifically by reducing the 'reward' or 'craving' for palatable foods, rather than just making you feel physically full or sick. This happens by acting on specific reward centers in the brain (VTA and NAc). For someone managing weight, this suggests that the effectiveness of GLP-1 medications might be partly due to reducing the psychological drive to eat high-reward foods, independent of nausea.
We show that this effect is mediated centrally, via GLP-1 receptors (GLP-1Rs)... We found that the EX4-mediated inhibition of food reward could be driven from two key mesolimbic structures—ventral tegmental area and nucleus accumbens—without inducing concurrent malaise or locomotor impairment.
Why this rating
High-quality animal study with rigorous controls, dose-response curves, and site-specific microinjections, but limited to rats.
Source
The Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 (GLP-1) Analogue, Exendin-4, Decreases the Rewarding Value of Food: A New Role for Mesolimbic GLP-1 Receptors
Suzanne L. Dickson et al. · Journal of Neuroscience · 2012
DOI 10.1523/jneurosci.6326-11.2012
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