... But not for love. Or so said Shakespeare in "As You Like It" (IV.i.81-92). That worm that dined on the flesh of dead men may have gotten fat, but if it did, it might have been because of seratonin, rather than overconsumption. A new study -- involving the roundworm C. Elegans -- suggests that increased eating does not necessarily lead to increased fat.
The discovery reveals that the neurotransmitter serotonin, already known to control appetite and fat build-up, actually does so through two separate signaling channels. One set of signals regulates feeding, and a separate set of signals regulates fat metabolism. The worm, known scientifically as Caenorhabdtis elegans, shares half of its genes with humans and is often a predictor of human traits. [...]It is widely believed that environments that encourage excessive food intake and little physical activity promote development of obesity. However, extensive studies have revealed that body weight is not merely a passive consequence of environmental conditions but that a physiological system coordinates the complex mechanisms that regulate food intake and energy expenditure, [Kaveh Ashrafi, PhD, assistant professor of physiology at UCSF and senior author on the scientific paper reporting the study] says. [...]"Obesity and thinness are not solely determined by feeding behavior," the scientists conclude in their paper. "Rather, feeding behavior and fat metabolism are coordinated but independent responses of the nervous system to the perception of nutrient availability."
That's too cool. Since, oh, say, chocolate always increases my serotonin levels, I'd say stocking up on chocolate should be my first step in my fat reduction therapy.
It's more about satisfaction than calories. Seems like obese people can't get no satisfaction.