Hydrating the body is a pleasurable experience, especially when one is thirsty.

Patricia Di Lorenzo, a psychology professor at Binghamton University, explains that there is a hedonic reaction to drinking water when experiencing thirst.

The sensation of relief and satisfaction when consuming water is a common experience for many individuals.

The Biology of Thirst

Have you ever felt the satisfaction of quenching your thirst with a gulp of water on a hot day? According to Patricia Di Lorenzo, a psychology professor at Binghamton University, this pleasurable sensation is attributed to a hedonic reaction in the body. When we exercise vigorously and sweat, our blood volume decreases, leading to a sensation of thirst.

The brain, particularly areas outside the blood-brain barrier such as the SFO, the OVLT, and the MnPO, detects these changes in blood and prompts the feeling of thirst.

Yuki Oka, a biology professor at Caltech, emphasizes the significance of this rapid response mechanism for our survival. The SFO and OVLT areas of the brain, not restricted by the blood-brain barrier, play a crucial role in triggering thirst when blood volume drops due to factors like exercise or consumption of salty foods.

The MnPO acts as the intermediary in this process, transmitting thirst signals from the SFO and OVLT to other brain regions to stimulate drinking.

The Thirst Response Mechanism

In a study conducted on mice in 2018, it was discovered that the SFO, the OVLT, and the MnPO all possess neurons that urge drinking when activated.

However, the MnPO serves as the hub in this pathway, conveying thirst signals from the SFO and OVLT to other brain regions, prompting the individual to drink water to alleviate the sensation of thirst.

It is evident that the human body's intricate mechanism of thirst and its response to dehydration is a vital element in ensuring our survival. The pleasure derived from drinking water when thirsty is not merely a physical need but a complex interplay of neural signals and brain regions that work in harmony to maintain our body's equilibrium.

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Video By TED-Ed