Attenuated hypothalamic response to fructose via a dedicated gut-brain pathway

Aaron D McKnight1, Alan de Araujo2, Fang-Yu Hsu2

  • 1Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA; Department of Neuroscience, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.

Neuron
|June 10, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Fructose uniquely impacts hunger signals, unlike glucose. This sugar activates a specific gut-brain pathway, influencing food preference by modulating agouti-related protein (AgRP) neuron activity.

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