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To lose weight , freeze your nerves ? That ’s the idea behind a new overture that may hold hope for weight loss . By freezinga nervethat bear hunger signals from the gut to the learning ability , you may essentially trick the consistency to stop feeling hungry .
In a small - scale pilot trial run , portray yesterday ( March 21 ) at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society of Interventional Radiology in Los Angeles , research worker report that the unusual subprogram led to decrease appetence and weight loss in all 10 participant .
Still , both the study writer and international experts agree that more research is needed . [ The Science of Weight Loss ]
" It ’s an interesting concept , " aver Dr. Lawrence Cheskin , director of the Johns Hopkins Weight Management Center in Baltimore , who was not involved in the subject field .
However , " this is a pilot program study with no ascendance radical " to use as a comparability , Cheskin tell Live Science . " We would require to do further studies comparing the treatment to other approach to weighting command to be more sure of a lineal effect of the routine perform , " he tell , contribute that it ’s " worth further testing for certain . "
The procedure direct a part of thevagus nervecalled the ulterior pneumogastric trunk , which is located at the base of the esophagus and beam signal to the brainpower that the stomach is empty . To freeze the nerve , doctors enter a acerate leaf - comparable instrument into the patient ’s back and utilise a type of medical imaging called a computed imaging ( CT ) scan to assure the musical instrument reaches the exact point they desire to immobilise . Then , operating surgeon releaseargon gasfrom the instrumental role . The gas chill the nerve to subzero temperatures , paralyzing it and ultimately prevent it from air signal to the brain .
The study admit 10 people , ages 27 to 60 , withbody stack indexes(BMIs ) between 30 and 37 , which qualify for soft to temperate fleshiness ( " normal " BMI ranges from 18.5 to 25 ) .
According to lead sketch author Dr. David Prologo , an interventional radiotherapist at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta , the patients lost , on average , 14 percent of their excess body weight ( body exercising weight above normal BMI ) , tantamount to about 3.6 percent of their overall body weighting , within 90 days of the operation .
" That ’s exactly where you want to be at 90 years , " Prologo tell Live Science . " If you lose weightiness too quickly , you rebound . But this amount of weight loss is on the nose in line with the recommendations of how fast a mortal should fall behind weight . "
Other roles
bespeak hunger to the brainpower is n’t the only function of the posterior trunk of the vagus nerve ; the nerve also helps move food through the tum . Once it is handicapped , the transit of the solid food slows down , which keeps the patient feeling full longer , thus further decreasing the need to eat . [ The Science of Hunger : How To Control It and Fight Cravings ]
" The nervus vagus nervus moderate the gut’snervous systemas well as other functions , " Cheskin say . This could lead to " a host of side effects , let in nausea and vomiting , but the study reported no significant side effect . "
Prologo said that the routine itself could make bleeding . However , none of the patient involved in the subject area have any complication .
Proceed with caution
Still , Cheskin expressed dubiety that the procedure " would work long - term , as the body has numerous other mechanisms to ensure we do n’t lose weight too easily . " For example , a body may react to weight loss byslowing down the metabolic process .
Indeed , the effects of the nerve - freeze wear off within eight month to a year , Prologo said . During that metre , the body ’s other mechanism , name by Cheskin , ensure that the patient does n’t completely starve himself or herself to death .
" The procedure does n’t completely efface the need to use up , " Prologo said . " The nerve has an anterior trunk and a ulterior torso , we are only freezing one of them . " rather , the procedure is meant to lessen appetence .
This eight- to 12 - calendar month stop ofdecreased hungeris , according to Prologo , enough clock time for a mortal not only to suffer weight but also for the dead body to adjust to being at a lower system of weights .
" You are trying to lose weight , but the soundbox greyback , " he said . " It does n’t read what you are doing … It fights back . "
But by freezing the hunger nerve , Prologo said , the researchers believe that they can fundamentally play a trick on the body , so that it cooperates with the player .
Prologo articulate he and his team are already working with Modern affected role and hope to publish more data point before long .
Some critics of Prologo ’s study say that the procedure has led to a placebo effect . " We do n’t trust that , but for rise it , we would have to have a mastery chemical group in a future tense , " he said .
The findings have not yet been published in a peer - reviewed daybook .
Originally published onLive Science .
