Hunger neurons track available food locations during foraging and spatial memory recall

Foraging requires animals to integrate metabolic needs with knowledge of where resources are located. Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons in the hypothalamus are central regulators of appetitive behaviors, yet their role in foraging remains poorly understood. Here, we used fiber photometry to record AgRP neuron activity in freely foraging mice and found that it dynamically tracks spatial proximity to food. AgRP neuron activity decreases progressively as mice approach the food source and increases as they move away, forming a gradient that scales with distance. Notably, this proximity signal emerges only in fasted mice once food is discovered, is specific to the accessible rather than to inaccessible sources, and persists where a source was previously available. Together, our findings reveal that AgRP neuron activity reflects distance to food in a dynamic, experience-dependent manner, extending what these neurons convey beyond internal need and food-related cues to include learned spatial information.

AgRP neuron activity reflects spatial distance to food sources during foragingAgRP neuron activity gradually decreases on approach to food and increases during departureAgRP distance signal depends on metabolic state, and its recall requires visual cuesAgRP neuron activity tracks food source availability and its location after source removal.