How Do We Choose Our Food?

The Geneva scientists demonstrate that even in mice the relationship to food is highly influenced by social interactions, to the point of disrupting physiological regulatory mechanisms. But beyond food choices, this study highlights the neurobiological mechanisms of social interactions and the learning they generate. “Understanding what networks and mechanisms are needed to integrate new information received from another individual and how this information is then used to adapt to the environment are fundamental questions,” says Michaël Loureiro. “Indeed, these mechanisms appear to be dysfunctional in some neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorders." The social difficulties of people with autism may indeed stem from an inability of the sensory cortex to properly treat stimuli received from outside. Peer information would be poorly integrated into the prefrontal cortex and its transmission disrupted, making it difficult to interpret external stimuli from the outset. https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/how-do-we-choose-our-food-320344?utm_campaign=NEWSLETTER_TN_Breaking%20Science%20News&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=73460114&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8iLdJyPgtcB033hsACP3xVXtDY3EGOXaHOr7VycAv21mZDvtsRfEhlRljr3HII1E4XRZ4bv0bowFHy5Kcmw5EWx4C-Cg&_hsmi=73460114