Control of food consumption by learned cues: a forebrain-hypothalamic network

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Behavioral Science
• Physiology

Background:

• Motivation significantly influences food intake control.
• Learned motivational control of eating is a key area of study.
• Environmental cues can acquire motivational properties via conditioning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review recent findings on the neural systems analysis of learned motivational control of eating.
• To present evidence for a specific brain network mediating conditioned feeding.
• To explore the relevance of an animal model for human eating behaviors.

Main Methods:

• Neural systems analysis of a behavioral model.
• Pavlovian conditioning to imbue environmental cues with motivational properties.
• Observation of feeding behavior in sated rats.

Main Results:

• Environmental cues, through Pavlovian conditioning, can override satiety signals.
• A specific brain network, including the amygdala, lateral hypothalamus, and medial prefrontal cortex, mediates conditioned potentiation of feeding.
• This animal model demonstrates learned motivational control of eating.

Conclusions:

• The amygdala, lateral hypothalamus, and medial prefrontal cortex form a critical network for conditioned feeding.
• This neural network underlies the learned motivational control of food intake.
• The animal model offers insights into human overeating and eating control.