"It has also been well established that ghrelin activates feeding through its effects on the hypothalamus, where ghrelin receptors are densely concentrated. However, ghrelin also has specific effects on many brain regions implicated in reward and motivation.

[After ghrelin infusion], food pictures become even more salient—people actually see them better. It influences not only visual processing, but also memory. People remembered the food pictures better when ghrelin was high.”"

The researchers include Saima Malik of Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University in Montreal, QC; Francis McGlone of Unilever R&D, Wirral, Cheshire; and Diane Bedrossian and Alain Dagher of Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University in Montreal, QC.

This work was supported by an unrestricted research grant from Unilever PLC, Port Sunlight, UK; the Canadian Institutes for Health Research and the Fonds de la Recherche en Santé du Québec.

Malik et al.: “Ghrelin Modulates Brain Activity in Areas that Control Appetitive Behavior.” Publishing in Cell Metabolism 7, 400–409, May 2008. DOI 10.1016/j.cmet.2008.03.007 www.cellmetabolism.org