Saturday, March 8, 2014

Health Note - A Baby's Hypothalamus Can Be Rewired During Pregnancy

"Obese mothers are more likely to have children with metabolic disorders such as diabetes compared with thin mothers, but the underlying molecular and cellular reasons for this effect have been unclear.
The study published by Cell Press on January 23, 2013 in the journal Cell reveals that the offspring of female mice on a high-fat diet are predisposed to obesity and diabetes because of abnormal neuronal circuits in the hypothalamus. Among a variety of functions, the hypothalamus is responsible for the regulation of metabolism.
In particular the findings suggest that mothers who consume a large amount of fat during the third trimester may be putting their children at risk for lifelong obesity and related metabolic disorders.

The researchers also found that female mice fed a high-fat diet during lactation had offspring with abnormal neuronal connections in the hypothalamus, as well as altered insulin signaling in this brain circuit. As a result, the offspring remained overweight and had abnormalities in glucose metabolism throughout their adult life.
Obviously, there are developmental differences between humans and mice. Neural circuits in the hypothalamus continue to develop after birth in mice, but are fully developed before birth in humans. Therefore, the researchers at Yale conclude that the third trimester of pregnancy in humans is the most critical time window for mothers’ nutrition to have long-lasting effects on babies’ health." PsychologyToday


Be not deceived;
God is not mocked:
for whatsoever a man soweth,
that shall he also reap.
Galatians 6:7
Watch below as a newborn baby doesn't want to let go of its mother