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Laser-scanning Photostimulation of Optogenetically Targeted Forebrain Circuits
Published on: December 27, 2013
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Sensory perception drives food avoidance through excitatory basal forebrain circuits.
Jay M Patel1,2, Jessica Swanson3, Kevin Ung4
1Medical Scientist Training Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, United States.
Elife
|May 11, 2019
Summary
Scientists discovered a new brain circuit that suppresses appetite. This basal forebrain pathway uses food cues to drive food avoidance, revealing a novel mechanism for appetite control.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Appetite Regulation
Background:
- Appetite is influenced by nutritional status, mood, and environmental cues.
- Environmental sensory information significantly impacts feeding behaviors, overriding homeostatic needs.
- The basal forebrain's role in appetite regulation is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify neuronal populations in the basal forebrain involved in appetite control.
- To investigate how the basal forebrain integrates sensory cues to modulate feeding behavior.
- To elucidate the role of basal forebrain projections in appetite suppression.
Main Methods:
- Utilized neuronal activation studies.
- Investigated basal forebrain projections to the lateral hypothalamus.
- Examined behavioral responses to food-related stimuli.
Main Results:
- Identified an excitatory neuronal population in the basal forebrain activated by food odors.
- Demonstrated that this neuronal population potently drives hypophagia (reduced appetite).
- Showed that basal forebrain signaling to the lateral hypothalamus promotes avoidance of food cues.
Conclusions:
- The basal forebrain integrates environmental sensory cues to govern feeding behavior.
- This excitatory basal forebrain pathway mediates appetite suppression via food avoidance.
- Revealed a novel mechanism for appetite control involving sensory integration and behavioral avoidance.
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