India, July 6 -- Researchers have recently discovered how the brain controls a key hormone released during sleep that helps build muscle and bone, burn fat, and support healthy growth, according to a study published in the journal Cell.
During the study, scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, identified the brain circuit located deep inside the hypothalamus, a region that regulates many essential body functions. These brain cells include growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) neurons, along with two types of somatostatin neurons, which help control hormone release.
To understand how this system works, researchers studied mice by placing tiny electrodes in their brains. They used light to activate specific brain cells and r...