Consuming too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. Therefore, managing daily salt intake is crucial.
Recently, American scientists announced the discovery of special neurons in the back of the brain that regulate salt cravings.
Two brain cells help determine whether the body has too little or too much salt – (Photo: NPR).
“Sodium (table salt) cravings and salt tolerance are controlled by completely different types of neurons,” said Yuki Oka, the study’s author and a biology professor at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), in a report published in the journal Cell.
He explained that the body meticulously regulates sodium levels in the blood to maintain them within a narrow range of 135 – 145 millimoles. This is achieved by accurately controlling the amount of salt consumed and retained.
To keep sodium levels balanced, the brain must manage both the “liking” and “disliking” of salt.
In 2019, researchers in Oka’s lab identified neurons that drive salt cravings in mice. These “salt-craving” neurons are located at the base of the skull, in an area known as the hindbrain.
However, the mechanism regulating salt tolerance had yet to be deciphered.
Recently, Oka’s group discovered that the “disliking” neurons for salt are located in the forebrain, far from and operating independently of the “salt-craving” neurons.
The study also found evidence that these neurons respond to hormone-like substances called prostaglandins. These substances circulate in the blood and are best known for their roles in inflammation, fever, and pain.
This new finding could help develop prostaglandin-based medications to prevent people from consuming excessive salt.
Nirupa Chaudhari, a professor of physiology and biology at the Miller School of Medicine at the University of Miami, stated that this discovery has significant health implications, as salt consumption is a “major issue” in many countries, including the United States.
In fact, providing the body with sufficient salt is so important that the neurons in the brain must work hard to ensure the body receives the necessary amount of salt.
However, consuming too much salt can lead to high blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
