Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Regulation of Food Intake

Regulation 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...

Neural Regulation

Neural Regulation

Digestion begins with a cephalic phase that prepares the digestive system to receive food. When our brain processes visual or olfactory information about food, it triggers impulses in the cranial nerves innervating the salivary glands and stomach to prepare for food.

Hormonal Regulation

Hormonal Regulation

Hormones regulate a significant portion of digestion through activation of the neuroendocrine system. The neuroendocrine system of digestion contains many different hormones all with multiple functions that are both, directly and indirectly, involved in digestion.

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

Functional Brain Systems: Limbic System

The limbic system, often called the "emotional brain," is a complex set of structures located deep within the brain. The intricate network of the limbic system supports a wide range of psychological functions, from emotional regulation to memory formation and sensory processing. This functional brain region encompasses specific parts of the diencephalon and the cerebrum, integrating the higher mental functions of the cerebral cortex with the primitive emotional responses of the deep brain...

Physiology of Enteric Nervous System and Gut Health

Physiology of Enteric Nervous System and Gut Health

The gastrointestinal tract, responsible for the digestion and absorption of nutrients, is safeguarded by the intestinal barrier, which consists of secretory, physical, and immune components. At the forefront is the secretory barrier, composed of essential elements such as mucus, gut microbiota, and defense proteins. They collaborate to break down food particles, facilitate nutrient absorption, and maintain optimal gut health. These secretory components ensure the smooth functioning of the...

Sympathetic Pathways: Collateral Ganglia and Adrenal Medulla

Sympathetic Pathways: Collateral Ganglia and Adrenal Medulla

The sympathetic pathways of the collateral ganglia and adrenal medulla serve unique but interconnected roles in the sympathetic response.
Collateral Ganglia
Sympathetic preganglionic axons reach the collateral ganglia along the route of splanchnic nerves. These nerves bypass the sympathetic trunk and communicate with sympathetic postganglionic neurons housed in the prevertebral ganglia. These ganglia supply the organs of the abdominopelvic cavity.
The greater splanchnic nerve, formed by the...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

A body-brain circuit that regulates body inflammatory responses.

Nature·2024

Same author

Promiscuous G-protein activation by the calcium-sensing receptor.

Nature·2024

Same author

Author Correction: BacFlash signals acid-resistance gene expression in bacteria.

Cell research·2023

Same author

A single photoreceptor splits perception and entrainment by cotransmission.

Nature·2023

Same author

The microbiota-gut-brain axis in stress and depression.

Frontiers in neuroscience·2023

Same author

An extra-clock ultradian brain oscillator sustains circadian timekeeping.

Science advances·2022

Same journal

Daily briefing: How cooperation built the world.

Nature·2026

Same journal

Deep-sea oddities and boatloads of other new species - June's best science images.

Nature·2026

Same journal

From cloning to gene-editing: the enduring legacy of Dolly the sheep.

Nature·2026

Same journal

Time to give hydration breaks the red card? What science says about keeping cool.

Nature·2026

Same journal

Universities are relying on AI-detection software to catch cheating. How well do the programs work?

Nature·2026

Same journal

Daily briefing: 'Cyborg' cockroaches breathe underwater with printed suit.

Nature·2026

See all related articles

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 29, 2025

Fat Preference: A Novel Model of Eating Behavior in Rats

Fat Preference: A Novel Model of Eating Behavior in Rats

Published on: June 27, 2014

Gut-brain circuits for fat preference.

Mengtong Li^1,2, Hwei-Ee Tan^1,3, Zhengyuan Lu^2,4

¹Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Chevy Chase, MD, USA.

|September 7, 2022

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Fat preference develops post-ingestion through gut-brain signals, not taste. Specific gut receptors and vagal neurons mediate this fat-driven attraction, revealing key mechanisms of the gut-brain axis in nutrient preference.

More Related Videos

Real-time Analysis of Gut-brain Neural Communication: Cortex wide Calcium Dynamics in Response to Intestinal Glucose Stimulation

Real-time Analysis of Gut-brain Neural Communication: Cortex wide Calcium Dynamics in Response to Intestinal Glucose Stimulation

Published on: December 29, 2023

Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System

Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System

Published on: May 8, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 29, 2025

Fat Preference: A Novel Model of Eating Behavior in Rats

Fat Preference: A Novel Model of Eating Behavior in Rats

Published on: June 27, 2014

Real-time Analysis of Gut-brain Neural Communication: Cortex wide Calcium Dynamics in Response to Intestinal Glucose Stimulation

Real-time Analysis of Gut-brain Neural Communication: Cortex wide Calcium Dynamics in Response to Intestinal Glucose Stimulation

Published on: December 29, 2023

Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System

Control of Eating Behavior Using a Novel Feedback System

Published on: May 8, 2018

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Gastroenterology
Nutritional Science

Background:

Fat perception triggers strong appetitive responses.
Behavioral attraction to fat can occur without a functional taste system.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the post-ingestion mechanisms driving fat preference via the gut-brain axis.
To identify specific gut-to-brain pathways and receptors involved in fat detection and preference development.

Main Methods:

Utilized single-cell RNA sequencing to identify vagal neurons responding to intestinal fat.
Employed genetic silencing of identified gut-to-brain circuits in mice.
Compared gut-to-brain pathways for fat and sugar preference.
Engineered mice lacking candidate receptors for intestinal fat detection.

Main Results:

Intestinal fat delivery activates specific vagal neurons, driving fat preference.
Genetic silencing of this circuit abolished fat preference development.
Identified two parallel gut-brain systems: one general nutrient sensor and another fat-specific pathway.
Validated candidate receptors mediating gut-to-brain fat responses.

Conclusions:

Fat preference is primarily mediated by the gut-brain axis after ingestion.
Distinct cells and receptors in the gut-brain axis are crucial for developing fat preference.
Findings reveal fundamental mechanisms underlying nutrient-driven appetite and preference.