Brain mechanism reveals how food aroma primes metabolism and may explain obesity risk

MedicalXpress | 六月 09, 2026

Our brain prepares the body for an incoming meal before we even take the first bite. The aroma of food simmering on the stove, for instance, can trigger the brain to send signals to the pancreas, which in turn releases insulin into the bloodstream. A new Nature Metabolism study reveals how a key group of neurons helps mediate this process.