Unlocking the Brain's Appetite Control: Groundbreaking Discovery Reveals Neurons that Regulate Feeding Behavior

Our decision to indulge in that first bite of cake or to walk away is a complex interplay of signals from the brain and the body. Researchers at Scripps Research have now identified a group of neurons in a little-studied region of the brain that play a crucial role in controlling when an animal decides to start eating.

Uncovering the Secrets of the Parasubthalamic Nucleus

Pinpointing the Neurons that Influence Feeding Initiation

The study, published in Molecular Psychiatry, focused on the parasubthalamic nucleus (PSTN), a small and often overlooked region of the brain. The researchers set out to selectively manipulate a group of PSTN cells that become highly active during binge-eating episodes. By turning on this specific ensemble of neurons, they were able to observe how it influenced the feeding and drinking behaviors of mice.Surprisingly, the team found that activating the PSTN cells sensitive to binge-eating significantly delayed the mice's initiation of eating, while simultaneously accelerating their water consumption. This suggests that these neurons play a crucial role in the early stages of hunger-driven decision-making, even before the animals actually start eating.

Unraveling the Complex Functions of PSTN Neurons

The researchers delved deeper, manipulating even smaller subsets of PSTN cells to pinpoint the exact groups responsible for the delayed eating and accelerated drinking. They also discovered another group of PSTN neurons that had the opposite effect, urging the mice to consume more sweet foods."Altogether, these results reveal that PSTN neurons exert a complex combination of functions," explains senior author Candice Contet, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Molecular Medicine at Scripps Research. "Several studies had previously shown that PSTN activity can limit the amount of food eaten, but the fact that certain PSTN neurons control the onset of feeding or drinking, or even promote the consumption of food 'treats,' is entirely novel."

Implications for Eating Disorders and Substance Abuse

The researchers believe that their findings may have significant implications for understanding and potentially treating eating disorders, where individuals struggle with either excessive or insufficient control over the initiation of feeding."Our results tell us that this specific group of PSTN cells guide the early stages of hunger-driven decision making, before eating actually occurs," says Jeff Dunning, Ph.D., a staff scientist at Scripps Research and first author of the new paper. "The effect on water drinking is somewhat counterintuitive, but it might be related to prandial thirst—the phenomenon whereby thirst gets stimulated as soon as we start eating."Beyond food and water, the team is also investigating whether similar mechanisms may be at play in the loss of control over the consumption of rewarding substances, such as drugs of abuse.

Unlocking the Brain's Appetite Control: A Groundbreaking Discovery

The identification of the PSTN neurons that regulate feeding initiation and drinking behavior represents a significant breakthrough in our understanding of the complex neural circuitry that governs our appetite and food-related decision-making. This knowledge could pave the way for the development of targeted interventions for eating disorders and potentially even substance abuse, offering new hope for those struggling with these debilitating conditions.