Biological link between stress and obesity found

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-10/thuo-hus100516.php

Public Release: 5-Oct-2016
Hebrew University study reveals a biological link between stress and obesity
For the first time -- researchers revealed a connection between anxiety and metabolic disorders at the molecular level; the discovery opens new possibilities for detecting and treating both symptoms
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem

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"We already know that there is a connection between body and mind, between the physical and the emotional, and studies show that psychological trauma affects the activity of many genes. Our previous research found a link between microRNA and stressful situations - stress and anxiety generate an inflammatory response and dramatically increase the expression levels of microRNA regulators of inflammation in both the brain and the gut, for example the situation of patients with Crohn's disease may get worse under psychological stress, "says Prof. Soreq.

"In the present study, we added obesity to the equation. We revealed that some anxiety-induced microRNA are not only capable of suppressing inflammation but can also potentiate metabolic syndrome-related processes. We also found that their expression level is different in diverse tissues and cells, depending on heredity and exposure to stressful situations," explains Prof. Soreq.

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