Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 19, 2026
08:07
Simultaneous Detection of c-Fos Activation from Mesolimbic and Mesocortical Dopamine Reward Sites Following Naive Sugar and Fat Ingestion in Rats
Published on: August 24, 2016
Metabolic hormones, dopamine circuits, and feeding
Nandakumar S Narayanan1, Douglas J Guarnieri, Ralph J DiLeone
1Department of Neurology, Yale University School of Medicine, USA.
Frontiers in Neuroendocrinology
|October 20, 2009
Summary
Metabolic hormones like ghrelin and leptin influence feeding by acting on dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). Dopamine pathways are crucial for motivation and learning related to food, not just intake.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Endocrinology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Metabolic hormones (ghrelin, leptin) impact feeding behavior.
- The ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) are key brain regions involved in reward and motivation.
- Dopamine signaling plays a complex role in feeding behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the literature on how metabolic hormones influence feeding via midbrain dopamine circuits.
- To differentiate the roles of VTA-NAc and substantia nigra-striatal pathways in feeding.
- To inform models of hormonal control of feeding behavior.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of existing research.
- Analysis of studies investigating dopamine and non-dopamine pathways in feeding.
- Examination of genetic and pharmacological manipulation studies.
Main Results:
- Metabolic hormones act on VTA dopamine neurons to influence feeding.
- While dopamine blockade impairs intake, local NAc dopamine has minimal effect.
- Non-dopaminergic VTA/NAc manipulations and substantia nigra pathways show stronger feeding effects.
- VTA-NAc circuits are more involved in motivation and learning than direct intake.
Conclusions:
- Peripheral hormones modulate feeding through midbrain dopamine systems.
- The role of dopamine in feeding is nuanced, with specific pathways involved in different aspects of food acquisition.
- Future models must consider the complex interplay between hormones, dopamine circuits, and feeding behaviors.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Regulation of Food Intake
Short-term regulation of food intake primarily involves neural signals from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, blood nutrient levels, and GI tract hormones. Communication between the gut and brain via vagal nerve fibers plays a significant role in evaluating the contents of the gut. Clinical studies have shown that protein ingestion produces a more prolonged response in these nerve fibers compared to an equivalent amount of glucose. Additionally, the activation of stretch receptors caused by GI...
01:19Regulation of Metabolism
Cellular needs and conditions vary from cell to cell and change within individual cells over time. For example, the required enzymes and energetic demands of stomach cells are different from those of fat storage cells, skin cells, blood cells, and nerve cells. Furthermore, a digestive cell works much harder to process and break down nutrients during the time that closely follows a meal compared with many hours after a meal. As these cellular demands and conditions vary, so do the amounts and...
01:23Diencephalon: Hypothalamus and Coordination
The hypothalamus is a small yet highly complex and essential brain region that plays a crucial role in regulating various bodily functions. Anatomically, it is located at the base of the brain, just above the brainstem and below the thalamus, forming part of the limbic system.
The hypothalamus interacts with other brain regions, including the pituitary gland, through a direct physical connection called the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. The hypothalamus receives somatic and visceral inputs and...
The hypothalamus interacts with other brain regions, including the pituitary gland, through a direct physical connection called the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. The hypothalamus receives somatic and visceral inputs and...
01:01Feedback Loops
In most cases, excessive hormone production is prevented by negative feedback—a loop that starts with a stimulus inducing the release of a particular substance, like a hormone, to maintain a certain level before triggering a signal that results in a decrease in further release of the hormone.
01:19Regulation of Hormone Secretion
Regulation of hormone secretion is a finely tuned orchestration driven by various types of stimuli, encompassing neural, humoral, and hormonal signals. Environmental cues instigate neural stimuli, where action potentials traverse nerve fibers to reach their designated targets. An illustrative scenario is the body's response to stress, wherein the sympathetic nervous system releases epinephrine from the adrenal glands, inducing the well-known 'fight or flight' reaction.
Humoral stimuli,...
Humoral stimuli,...
01:26Secondary Messengers in Hormone Action
Water-soluble hormones cannot cross the plasma membrane, so they rely on protein receptors that span the membrane to trigger intracellular signaling pathways. These pathways then activate second messengers inside the cell, including cAMP or calcium ions.
Many hormones bind to transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors that connect to regulatory G proteins. These G proteins can then activate enzymes such as adenylyl cyclase or phospholipase C. Adenylyl cyclase converts ATP to cAMP, activating...
Many hormones bind to transmembrane G protein-coupled receptors that connect to regulatory G proteins. These G proteins can then activate enzymes such as adenylyl cyclase or phospholipase C. Adenylyl cyclase converts ATP to cAMP, activating...