The recent research can help in finding cure for obesity. Researchers in U.S have found relationship between a brain chemical known as BDNF and obesity. This research has shown that this brain chemical which plays a important role in long term memory also help in regulating appetite and weight. Various researches have shown that BDNF helps in regulating appetite and weight in animals.

This finding was the by-product of the study of people with WAGR syndrome. Researchers analyzed the data collected from 33 people with WAGR syndrome. Generally human beings have two copies of the gene that controls BDNF. The study showed that 19 WAGR syndrome patients had only one copy of the gene resulting into low blood levels of BDNF. These 19 people usually indulge in overeating. All of them were obese by the age of 10. While 14 WAGR syndrome, patients had two working copies of the gene.

The study showed that these people were no more likely than the general population to be obese or overeat. Researchers said that this study strongly suggests BDNF is important for energy homeostasis in humans. Thus, BDNF added to the understanding of factors underpinning obesity. They added that leptin can indirectly trigger the release of BDNF in the hypothalamus, a brain structure involved in regulating appetite.

Dr. Jack Yanovski of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development said, "The importance of the finding is that it opens up another avenue for us to develop treatments that might help folks with obesity."

He explained that this research only focused on a small part of what is really a large and complex puzzle. There are approximately 300 genes that affect body weight in some form or another. He added that this research could be used to find cure for obese person who can’t be cured by other means.