Brain clock gene affects weight and new neurons, but only in female mice.

The study linked in the post found that when the Bmal1 gene is switched off only in tanycytes (a type of brain cell), female mice gained less weight on a high-fat diet and produced fewer new brain cells, but male mice showed no change. That means the effect is real but only for females, which is a big deal because the post didn't mention that. Other research (not linked in the post) also confirms this sex-specific pattern, so the finding is consistent. The study was done in mice, so we don't know if it applies to humans, but it's a clear clue that sex matters in how the brain clock regulates metabolism and neurogenesis.