Ep.49 Brain vs. Donut: How Orexin Neurons Push Us to Exercise

The Neuro Network by Nick Burgraff, PhD

Episode notes

In this episode, we explore how orexin neurons in the brain help us prioritize exercise over tempting distractions like delicious food. Discover the science behind this brain-powered 'gym coach' and learn why some people are better at resisting temptation—giving us fresh insights into motivation, decision-making, and the battle between brain and cravings.

Paper: Tesmer, A. L., Li, X., Bracey, E., Schmandt, C., Polania, R., Peleg-Raibstein, D., & Burdakov, D. (2024). Orexin neurons mediate temptation-resistant voluntary exercise. Nature Neuroscience, 1-9.

Keywords
neurosciencebrainexercisebiologybiohack