Patrick R. Sweeney

This study shows lactation increases food seeking and palatable food intake in mice through enhanced mesolimbic dopamine signaling, specifically via VTA-NAc dopamine transmission.

This study identifies increased mesolimbic dopamine system activity as a driver of hedonic feeding and sensitivity to energy imbalance during pregnancy in mice.

This study identifies that increased AgRP neuron activity and decreased POMC neuron activity during pregnancy in mice drive hyperphagia, with spatial transcriptomics revealing transcriptional changes in these neurons.

This study identifies the role of MC3R in the medial hypothalamus in regulating energy rheostasis through behavioral, chemogenetic, and molecular analyses in mice.

This study shows that inhibiting MC3R increases sensitivity to anorectic agents like GLP1, PYY, CCK, and leptin, suggesting MC3R as a negative regulator of feeding behavior.

This study shows that MC3R regulates AgRP neuron activation during fasting and cold exposure in a cell-autonomous manner, highlighting its role in energy homeostasis.