# Immune cell activation in the brain causes obesity and overeating in mice
**URL:** https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/immune-cell-activation-in-the-brain-causes-obesity-and-overeating-in-mice/1378
**Category:** Food & Diet
**Created:** [July 7, 2017, 11:57am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/immune-cell-activation-in-the-brain-causes-obesity-and-overeating-in-mice/1378 "2017-07-07T11:57:16Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@TiaG](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/TiaG)
#### Post date: [July 7, 2017, 11:57am UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/immune-cell-activation-in-the-brain-causes-obesity-and-overeating-in-mice/1378/1 "2017-07-07T11:57:16Z")
This study was in mice, but the findings are certainly interesting…showing that changes in immune cells in the brain, called microglia, can trigger changes in the brain circuits that regulate eating and appetite. The changes caused the mice to eat more while burning fewer calories. In this particular study they use high-fat diets to trigger this change, but it’s not clear whether the dietary changes they see would map perfectly to humans, given that mice typically eat a much more limited diet than humans do.
[http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/49808/title/Study--Microglia-Tied-to-Weight-Gain-in-Mice/](http://www.the-scientist.com/?articles.view/articleNo/49808/title/Study--Microglia-Tied-to-Weight-Gain-in-Mice/)
Clearly, though, weight gain is a much more complicated system that involves way more than the gut.
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### Author:  [@lh378](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/lh378)
#### Post date: [July 8, 2017, 7:46pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/immune-cell-activation-in-the-brain-causes-obesity-and-overeating-in-mice/1378/2 "2017-07-08T19:46:41Z")
@TiaG thanks for sharing, a very interesting article. The brain/body connection.
Here’s something interesting too: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vagus\_nerve](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vagus_nerve). “The vagus nerve also plays a role in satiation following food consumption.[4] Knocking out vagal nerve receptors has been shown to cause hyperphagia (greatly increased food intake)”
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### Author:  [@Michel](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/u/Michel)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2017, 6:07pm UTC](https://forum.fudiabetes.org/t/immune-cell-activation-in-the-brain-causes-obesity-and-overeating-in-mice/1378/3 "2017-07-10T18:07:16Z")
> [@TiaG](#):
>
> changes in immune cells in the brain, called microglia, can trigger changes in the brain circuits that regulate eating and appetite.
That was a great result. Super-interesting study. You are right about:
> [@TiaG](#):
>
> weight gain is a much more complicated system that involves way more than the gut.