Obesity is complicated, to say the least. It’s complicated physiologically, emotionally, and above all, mentally. It’s not quite clear how much the brain has to do with your waistline, but it is know that obese people show less activity in certain parts of the brain. So, some scientists have decided to give that part of the brain a jolt.
Specifically, the small-scale study tested what transcranial direct current stimulation, or tDCS, would do for obese people. If you’re wondering, that means scientists glue electrodes to your skull and give your brain a zap. In the study, nine people were given fake tDCS for eight days, and then, when they returned a bit later, four were given the fake stimulation over three days and five got the real thing.
Among those who got actual stimulation, they ate 700 fewer calories and lost an average of nearly a pound. By itself, the study doesn’t definitively prove that giving your brain a few volts will shuck the pounds, but it’s definitely an intriguing result and would indicate that there’s something to the idea of self regulation.
This doesn’t mean you’ll be able to get out of dieting and exercise by slapping on a silly electric hat, though. You’ll still need to watch what you eat and get out of the house. But for some people struggling with willpower, it might be a useful jolt to get.
(via PopSci)
