A National Institutes of Health study found that
non-invasive brain stimulation decreased calorie
consumption and increased weight loss in adults who
are obese. The findings suggest a possible
intervention for obesity, when combined with healthy
eating and exercise. Results were published in
Obesity concurrent with a presentation at the 2015
Obesity Society meeting.
Led by scientists at the Phoenix Epidemiology and
Clinical Research Branch, part of NIH’s National
Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney
Diseases (NIDDK), the team studied a total of nine
men and women with obesity who resided in the
Branch’s metabolic ward on two separate visits, each
for eight days.
On each visit, the participants ate a
weight-maintaining diet for five days.
Then for three days, they unknowingly received
either active or sham (fake) transcranial direct
current stimulation, or tDCS.
Participants then ate and drank as much as they
wanted from computerized vending machines. Applied
to the scalp, the active tDCS targeted the brain
region controlling behavior and reward.
The four people who got the sham stimulation during
both visits consumed the same number of calories
from the vending machines on each visit and did not
lose weight.
But the five people who got inactive stimulation on
the first visit, and active tDCS at the brain target
on the second visit, consumed an average of 700
fewer calories and lost an average of 0.8 pounds on
the second visit.
Next, the researchers will compare a group getting
only active tDCS with a separate group getting only
sham stimulation. More study is needed to confirm
the safety and effectiveness of tDCS for weight
loss.
For more information
Obesity
Neuromodulation targeted to the prefrontal cortex
induces changes in energy intake and weight loss in
obesity
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