Abizaid’s research lab is concerned with\u00a0the brain mechanisms regulating body weight and feeding, and how factors such as social interactions, stress, and environmental pollution can influence these mechanisms across the lifespan. In this work, he is particularly\u00a0focused\u00a0on ghrelin, a hormone that causes increases in appetite and changes in metabolism to promote weight gain. Interestingly, this hormone is also releases during stressful situations including negative social interactions, and is implicated in stress induced weight gain. Another research focus in his\u00a0lab pertains to the potential for environmental pollutants (e.g., bisphenol A) to alter the development of the brain circuits regulating food intake and energy balance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"template":"","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","_mi_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"people-type":[97],"yoast_head":"\n