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Layers of signals that regulate appetite.
Christopher A Zimmerman1, Zachary A Knight2
1Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Current Opinion in Neurobiology
|April 21, 2020
Summary
Feedback signals from eating and drinking tell the brain how much has been consumed. These signals, from various body tissues, converge on brain neurons to regulate appetite and thirst.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Physiology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Appetite regulation is crucial for energy homeostasis.
- The brain integrates signals to control food and fluid intake.
- Understanding these signals is key to addressing eating and drinking disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review current understanding of how feedback signals regulate appetite.
- To explore the neural mechanisms underlying hunger and thirst.
- To synthesize findings from classic and recent research in the field.
Main Methods:
- Review of classic studies involving gastrointestinal tract manipulation and behavioral analysis.
- Analysis of recent in vivo neural recording experiments.
- Integration of data on feedback signal generation and neural circuit modulation.
Main Results:
- Eating and drinking generate sequential feedback signals from various body tissues.
- These signals converge on individual forebrain neurons.
- Neural recordings reveal how ingestion modulates brain circuit dynamics.
Conclusions:
- Multiple layers of feedback signals regulate appetite and thirst.
- Forebrain neurons integrate these signals for intake control.
- This integrated signaling provides a comprehensive model for appetite regulation.
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