in the united states have shed more light on the secrets of thirst in the brain, such as why we get thirsty when we eat or why the cold water just quenching our thirst better.
The scientists, led by Zachary Knight University of California-San Francisco, who made the relevant publication in the journal “Nature”, according to the BBC, studied the “circuit” of thirst in the brain of experimental animals (mouse).
The main conclusion is that the neural circuit of thirst constantly monitors the mouth, which is located in “open line” with the brain, which allows the latter to provide forthwith for the future needs of the body in water. When the food enters the mouth, immediately activated in specific cells of the circuit of thirst, while the opposite happens when in the mouth running the cold water.
The traditional model for almost 100 years, explains the function of thirst, is based on the blood: when in it there are a lot of salts (e.x. because of a salty food) or when the volume of blood goes down, then activates the thirst to enter the water in the body.
However, this model assumes that there has been plenty of time until it is activated, the thirst, and does not explain how it is possible to “arouse” the feeling of thirst so quickly to a man (just e.x. start eating something salty) or -even more – how is it that to quench their thirst before the well, drink the water.
The new research explains for the first time, in what way is born in advance the δίψασμα and ξεδίψασμα in the brain. The researchers introduced a miniature optical fiber in the brains of rodents and they were able to watch in real time the neural activity associated with thirst.
It turned out this way, that, long before there were detectable changes in the blood that create the need for water, the neural circuit of thirst -which includes nerve cells of the mouth and the brain – is activated or deactivated very quickly. Depending on the food or the water that penetrates in the oral cavity, the appropriate nerves “inform” immediately the brain with the corresponding name.
Among other things, the temperature plays a decisive role. Thus, not only the cold water or other cold drink, it disables the circuit of thirst (which carries the feeling of ξεδιψάσματος), but as long as no one tends to threaten in any other way the temperature of his mouth -without you even drink something cold – in order to reduce the activity of the neurons of the thirst.
See why we get thirsty after eating
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