Some researchers suggest that a virus lurking in the guts of some people interferes with their neurotransmitters, giving them a larger surge of serotonin and dopamine (feel-good chemicals) when they eat junk food. In other words, they may be dealing with a microbial invader, making it more difficult to put down that family-sized bag of potato chips.
This newly revealed connection between the gut and the brain may explain one cause of food addiction, a controversial condition on which experts remain divided. The finding, published in Nature Metabolism, is based on animal models receiving human fecal transplants. More studies are needed, as the exact way the virus affects eating habits is unknown.
