Dhaka, Nov. 5 -- Scientists at San Francisco's University of California have identified a slow-acting gut-to-brain dopamine signal that trains the brain to enjoy nutrient-dense foods, explaining why people develop cravings for bitter beverages like coffee.

Published in the journal Nature, the study reveals how nerve connections process taste and nutrient information together, according to The Independent.

Researchers discovered that a specific pathway linking dopamine-producing neurons in the brain's ventral tegmental area to the basolateral amygdala plays a central role in connecting a food's flavour with its delayed nutritional value.

During experiments on mice, scientists bypassed taste by delivering glucose water directly into the ...