Pregnancy cravings are controlled by neurons discovered by researchers

Pregnancy food cravings

We know that pregnancy food cravings can include just about anything, but how do they get started? New research in mice identifies the part of the brain that seems to control these urges, which in the future could help ensure that human pregnancies are as healthy as possible.

Pregnant mice

In tests on pregnant mice, who the team discovered also have cravings while expecting, researchers noticed changes in the brain's reward circuits, and brain areas responsible for taste and sensory and motor systems. The team identified higher levels of dopamine and increased activity from the dopamine receptor D2R in a region called the nucleus accumbens, part of the brain's reward system.

Add Block

Roberta Haddad-Tovolli says

Roberta Haddad-Tovolli, the neurobiologist, says, "This finding suggests that the pregnancy induces a full reorganization of the mesolimbic neural circuits through the D2R neurons." He continued, "These neuronal cells, and their alteration would be responsible for the cravings, since food anxiety, typical during pregnancy, disappeared after blocking their activity."

The study looks specifically at mice.

While this study looks specifically at mice, the mouse brain and the human brain have enough in common for the scientists to consider whether the same sort of rewiring may be happening when human mothers are craving chocolate, ice cream, or whatever foodstuff it happens to be. It's thought that cravings support embryonic growth in various ways, but there are also potential problems; this eating of tasty, high-calorie foods has potential downsides for babies and their mothers.

Add Block

Study mice offspring

The researchers went on to study the offspring of the mice that had been allowed to indulge their cravings for sweet foods, noticing differences in the metabolism and neural circuitry in this next generation. Marc Claret, the neurobiologist, says, "However, this study indicates that short but recurrent behaviors, such as cravings, are enough to increase the psychological and metabolic vulnerability of the offspring."

Potential problems

In follow-up tests on the mouse offspring, the researchers identified potential problems with weight gain, anxiety, and eating disorders. Claret says, "There are many myths and popular beliefs regarding these cravings, although the neuronal mechanisms that cause them are not widely known."