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Researchers have discovered that the hormone ghrelin plays an important role in overeating by stimulating the brain's pleasure center.

Ghrelin stimulates our appetite and also increases our desire for food.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, researchers were able to measure brain responses in people who viewed pictures of food and nonfood images.

The study showed that people who were given ghrelin had an increased response to food images in several areas of the brain.

For additional information, see:

• Gut Hormone Makes Food Look Even Yummier (Science Daily)