For a long time, scientists believed that fasting altered the immune system simply because the body was deprived of nutrients. However, new research in Science Immunology is rewriting that story. It turns out that neurons in the brain ,and not the gut, play the key role in regulating immune cells. AgRP neurons in the hypothalamus, which trigger feelings of hunger, can influence immune cell levels purely by creating the perception of hunger, rather than actual food deprivation.
Let’s read the article and know more details about the connection between perception of hunger and the immune system.
https://www.sciencealert.com/the-mere-thought-of-being-hungry-could-alter-your-immune-system
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “a marked drop” mean? “To our surprise, though, this synthetic hunger state also led to a marked drop in specific immune cells in the blood, called monocytes.” Use it in a sentence.
- What does the adverb “conversely” mean? “Conversely, when we activated the fullness neurons in fasted mice, the monocyte levels returned close to normal, even though the mice hadn’t eaten.” Use it in a sentence and give two synonyms.
- What does “to dial down” mean? “When the hunger neurons were turned on, they dialled down nutrient-sensing in the liver by reducing sympathetic activity.” Use it in your own sentence.
Discussion Questions:
- What are your thoughts on the findings of this research?
- How does hunger affect how you feel or how much energy you have?
- What comfort foods help you when you’re unwell?
- What aspect of the human brain do you find the most remarkable?
- If you were a medical researcher, what field would you specialize in? Why?