Latest Neuropeptides Stories

Protein, not sugar, stimulates cells keeping us thin and awake, new study suggests A new study has found that protein and not sugar activates the cells responsible for keeping us awake and burning calories. The research, published in the 17 November issue of the scientific journal Neuron, has implications for understanding obesity and sleep disorders. Wakefulness and energy expenditure rely on "orexin cells", which secrete a stimulant called orexin/hypocretin in the brain. Reduced...

There’s definitely something to be said for first impressions. New research from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests it can take just 20 seconds to detect whether a stranger is genetically inclined to being trustworthy, kind or compassionate. The findings reinforce that healthy humans are wired to recognize strangers who may help them out in a tough situation. They also pave the way for genetic therapies for people who are not innately sympathetic, researchers said....

Scientists have discovered that a gene that influences empathy, parental sensitivity and sociability is so powerful that even strangers observing 20 seconds of silent video identified people with a particular genetic variation to be more caring and trusting. In the study, 23 romantic couples were videotaped while one of the partners described a time of suffering in their lives. The other half of the couple and their physical, non-verbal reactions were the focal point of the study. Groups...

Bright light arouses us. Bright light makes it easier to stay awake. Very bright light not only arouses us but is known to have antidepressant effects. Conversely, dark rooms can make us sleepy. It's the reason some people use masks to make sure light doesn't wake them while they sleep. Now researchers at UCLA have identified the group of neurons that mediates whether light arouses us — or not. Jerome Siegel, a professor of psychiatry at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Oct. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Forget Viagra -- more and more couples are turning to a hormone called oxytocin to save their sex lives. A chemical that is released in the brain during moments of human bonding and is available in synthetic form over the counter, oxytocin is enjoying booming sales amid growing evidence that it facilitates a more stimulating, satisfying sex life. "When you can be with your mate for 30 or 40 minutes, and then go at it again after that,...

The Bio-Magazine has just published reviews on the neuropeptide hormone Orexin and on Biophilia which is the hypothesis of an instinctive bond between human beings and the natural world including animals, plants, landscapes, and wilderness. (PRWEB) October 11, 2011 The Bio-Magazine Eurekamag.com provides insights into distinct scientific topics. This number is steadily rising and includes many reviews on biological substances and theories. The latest inclusions in this collection of...

People with narcolepsy are not only excessively sleepy, but they are also prone to gaining weight. In fact, narcoleptic patients will often pack on pounds even as they eat considerably less than your average person. Now researchers reporting in the October issue of Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, appear to have an answer as to why. It seems a deficiency of the neuropeptide hormone orexin, an ingredient that encourages hunger and wakefulness, may leave them with a lack of...

UCLA life scientists have identified for the first time a particular gene's link to optimism, self-esteem and "mastery," the belief that one has control over one's own life — three critical psychological resources for coping well with stress and depression. "I have been looking for this gene for a few years, and it is not the gene I expected," said Shelley E. Taylor, a distinguished professor of psychology at UCLA and senior author of the new research. "I knew there had to be a gene for...

New study demonstrates that a new class of drugs designed to treat narcolepsy will also be effective in reversing illness-induced lethargyA signaling system in the brain previously shown to regulate sleep is also responsible for inducing lethargy during illness, according to research conducted at Oregon Health & Science University Doernbecher Children's Hospital.This research is particularly meaningful because it implies that a new class of drugs developed to treat sleep disorders can...

The act of eating may itself be a way to lose weight, according to a new study which claims that spending more time chewing your food more could cause you to eat less.Writing in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Jie Li and colleagues at the Harbin Medical University in China, discovered that those who chew their food 40 times instead of a typical 15 would consume approximately 12-percent fewer calories, according to a report on the research by Eric Schultz of Reuters Health.In their...