Research finds ‘hunger hormone’ may help combat cognitive decline

Please note, this page has been archived and is no longer being updated.

New research, co-led by Dr Lisa Saksida of the University of Cambridge and Dr Jeff Davies (pictured below) of Swansea University’s College of Medicine, shows that a hunger hormone (ghrelin), generated in the stomach, promotes stem cells to form new neurones in the learning centre of the brain.

Dr Jeff DaviesThese new cells are involved with controlling a specific form of memory that is impaired in ageing and neurodegenerative disease.

In short, this hormone may be useful to combat cognitive decline in ageing and diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

The research – ‘The orexigenic hormone acyl-ghrelin increases adult hippocampal neurogenesis and enhances pattern separation’ – is published this week in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology, the Official Journal of the International Society of Psychoneuroendocrinology. 

To view the paper visit http://www.psyneuen-journal.com/article/S0306-4530(14)00399-0/abstract