Can’t Stop Eating? Scientists Discover the Brain’s “Volume Knob” for Food Cravings
We’ve all experienced that irresistible urge for something sweet after a long day, or found ourselves reaching for snacks even when we’re not hungry. What if this common struggle isn’t just about willpower, but about a specific switch in your brain? Groundbreaking research from Columbia University’s Zuckman Institute, published in Cell, has identified exactly that—a brain center that acts like a master control for our eating behaviors, including understanding the complex neurons of the BNST amygdala circuit that drives our food choices.
The Brain’s Hidden “Food Control Center”
Scientists have discovered that a small but powerful brain region called the Bed Nucleus of Stria Terminalis (BNST) serves as what they describe as a “volume knob” for eating behaviors. When researchers activated this area, even fully-fed mice would continue eating. When they suppressed it, hungry animals lost interest in food. This discovery provides crucial insights into conditions ranging from everyday overeating to severe conditions like the rare flesh eating disorder that affects some individuals.
How It Works: The Brain’s Food Regulation System
The research focused on understanding the neurons of the BNST amygdala circuit—specifically how neurons in the amygdala that respond to sweet tastes connect to the BNST region. What surprised researchers was how broadly this system operates:
- It controls cravings for sugar, fat, salt, and other nutrients
- It integrates both external cues (like food taste) and internal states (like hunger)
- It acts as a central coordinator for multiple eating behaviors
This understanding of the neurons of the BNST amygdala network helps explain why people struggling with eating disorders experience such powerful, uncontrollable urges around food.
Real-World Implications for Weight Management and Eating Disorders
The discovery has significant implications for understanding and treating various eating-related conditions. For individuals wondering what are symptoms of a eating disorder, this research provides biological evidence that these conditions involve fundamental brain circuitry differences, not just psychological factors.
The study found that:
- Activating BNST could help cancer patients suffering from chemotherapy-induced appetite loss
- Suppressing BNST activity led to significant weight reduction in animal models
- Popular weight-loss drugs like semaglutide actually target these same BNST neurons
Recognizing When Brain Circuits Go Wrong
For those concerned about what are symptoms of a eating disorder, this research underscores that disordered eating patterns often reflect underlying neurological differences. While this study doesn’t address the extreme flesh eating disorder specifically, it provides a framework for understanding how brain circuits can drive abnormal eating behaviors.
Hope for Future Treatments
The discovery opens doors to more targeted treatments for obesity and eating disorders. Rather than broad-acting medications that cause side effects like nausea, future therapies could precisely regulate this “eating control center” to help people achieve healthy eating patterns without negative side effects.
As research continues, we’re moving closer to understanding exactly how these brain circuits function in different conditions—from everyday overeating to the rare but serious flesh eating disorder—and developing better ways to help people regain control over their eating behaviors.
Source:
Canovas, Jose A et al. “A brain center that controls consummatory responses.” Cell (2025). doi:10.1016/j.cell.2025.08.021
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult with healthcare professionals for any health concerns.