Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 18, 2025
04:49
A Do-it-yourself System for Scheduled Feeding of Laboratory Rodents in Their Home Cage
Published on: June 6, 2025
81
A Hypothalamic Circuit that Modulates Feeding and Parenting Behaviors.
Ivan C Alcantara1,2, Chia Li1, Laura E Mickelsen1
1Diabetes, Endocrinology, and Obesity Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA 20892.
Biorxiv : the Preprint Server for Biology
|August 2, 2024
Summary
New mothers balance parenting and hunger through hypothalamic circuits. Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons in the arcuate nucleus (ARC) inhibit bombesin receptor subtype-3 (BRS3) neurons in the medial preoptic area (MPOA), influencing behavior prioritization.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Biology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- New mothers exhibit significant behavioral changes for offspring care and milk production.
- Neural circuits for feeding and parenting are known, but their interaction during lactation is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate transcriptomic changes in the hypothalamus (ARC and MPOA) during lactation and hunger.
- To understand how hunger and maternal drives interact and are regulated by specific neural circuits.
Main Methods:
- Transcriptomic analysis of the arcuate nucleus (ARC) and medial preoptic area (MPOA) in lactating and virgin mice.
- Behavioral conflict assay comparing food-seeking and parenting behaviors under varying hunger states.
- Neural circuit tracing and manipulation, focusing on ARC AgRP neurons and MPOA BRS3 neurons.
Main Results:
- Lactating mice showed heightened appetite linked to increased ARC AgRP neuron activity.
- Hunger disrupted parenting behaviors, even in food-deprived lactating mothers.
- ARC AgRP neurons were found to directly inhibit MPOA BRS3 neurons, which regulate parenting and satiety.
Conclusions:
- Hypothalamic networks dynamically modulate behavior based on physiological states.
- An antagonistic interaction between ARC AgRP and MPOA BRS3 neurons mediates the prioritization of competing motivated behaviors like feeding and parenting.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Regulation of Food Intake
208
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...
208
01:23Diencephalon: Hypothalamus and Coordination
1.4K
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...
1.4K
01:25Primary Motives: Hunger and Thirst
171
Hunger and thirst are fundamental physiological drives crucial for maintaining homeostasis and ensuring the survival of both humans and animals. These drives are regulated through complex interactions between the brain, hormones, and sensory receptors.
Hunger arises when the brain detects changes in the body's nutrient levels, including glucose, lipids, amino acids, and hormones such as ghrelin and leptin. The hypothalamus plays a central role in hunger regulation. The lateral hypothalamus...
Hunger arises when the brain detects changes in the body's nutrient levels, including glucose, lipids, amino acids, and hormones such as ghrelin and leptin. The hypothalamus plays a central role in hunger regulation. The lateral hypothalamus...
171
01:30Diencephalon: Anatomical Regions
1.7K
The diencephalon, etymologically translated as 'through brain,' plays an integral role as the conduit between the cerebrum and the vast extent of the nervous system. However, the olfactory system is an exception, as it interfaces directly with the cerebrum. The diencephalon, deeply ensconced beneath the cerebrum, primarily consists of three paired structures — the thalamus, hypothalamus, and epithelamus. It also includes accessory structures such as the subthalamus, which houses the...
1.7K
01:31Neurotransmitters
851
Neurotransmitters are essential chemical messengers within the nervous system, facilitating the communication between neurons. These chemical messengers, varying in function and effect, are critical for sustaining various aspects of neurological health and emotional well-being.
851
00:55Parental Care
11.7K
Many animals exhibit parental care behavior, including feeding, grooming, and protecting young offspring. Parental care is universal in mammals and birds, which often have young that are born relatively helpless. Several species of insects and fish, as well as some amphibians, also care for their young.
11.7K