Blah, blah, blah

Biologists at Queen’s University have found a connection between a specific nerve receptor (npr-9) and obesity. The team studied nematodes (Caenorhabditis elegans) that have neurotransmitters similar to those of humans. Per their report, NPR-9 is “most similar to insect allatostatin/mammalian galanin receptors.”

Caenorhabditis elegans

These receptors are paired with AIB interneurons, which are associated with local search and pivoting behavior–focusing on local food and not moving in search of food. When the receptors are over-expressed, AIB associated behaviors are suppressed and the nematodes have less local searching/pivoting behavior; when it’s under-expressed, the behaviors are seen more frequently–so the nematodes stay near a local food supply.

Local foraging/pivoting behavior is an energy conserving strategy when food is readily available. The organisms move less, burn less energy.

Thus, when the receptors were depleted, the nematodes became sluggish (more pivoting behavior/focusing on local food and less roaming, which lead to less energy burned) and accumulated intestinal fat more readily; and when the receptors were in abundance (causing less pivoting behavior/local foraging), the nematodes became hyperactive and actually wandered a great distance, creating arcs to return to the food. However, when the nematodes were not placed directly on top of food, all of the nematodes had the same feeding behavior–they had to travel for food.

Basically, this receptor affects foraging behavior and thus affects metabolism and lipid storage. Too little of the receptor made the worms fat. Too much, thin.

How does this affect us?
Since many people in the US are overweight, maybe we need some of those receptors added to our water supply to make us move around–or we could just do coke.

Or maybe we should just stop sitting on top of food like the fat nematodes did.

Or maybe we should address socio-economic injustices.