Regulation of Appetite and Obesity

Human embryonic tanycyte: heterogeneity and developmental trajectory

The paper uses human embryonic single-cell transcriptomics to identify tanycyte subtypes and their developmental trajectories, finding similarities with adult rodent tanycytes and distinct marker expression.

AgRP neurons coordinate the mitigation of activity-based anorexia

This study identifies AgRP neuron activity as a key factor in activity-based anorexia and shows that activating these neurons can mitigate the condition.

Hypothalamic melanocortin-4 receptors on astrocytes mediate inflammation and body weight homeostasis

This study shows that deleting melanocortin-4 receptors on hypothalamic astrocytes increases body weight, feeding, and central inflammation, independent of neuronal MC4R effects.

Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor in the human hypothalamus is associated with body mass index and colocalizes with the anorexigenic neuropeptide nucleobindin-2/nesfatin-1.

This study examines GLP-1R expression in human hypothalamus and finds reduced expression in individuals with higher BMI, correlating with nesfatin-1 in specific brain regions.

A Cre-Driver Rat Model for Anatomical and Functional Analysis of Glucagon (Gcg)-Expressing Cells in the Brain and Periphery

This paper develops a Gcg-Cre rat model to study GLP1-expressing cells in the brain and periphery, finding that homozygous rats show reduced Gcg mRNA and GLP1 protein, and chemogenetic activation suppresses food intake.

Hypothalamic melanin-concentrating hormone neurons integrate food-motivated appetitive and consummatory processes

This study identifies hypothalamic MCH neurons that integrate food-related appetitive and consummatory processes through physiological and behavioral responses.

Oxytocin signaling in the posterior hypothalamus prevents hyperphagic obesity in mice

This study shows that oxytocin signaling in the posterior hypothalamus prevents hyperphagic obesity in mice by reducing food intake and increasing plasma triglyceride and leptin levels.

Identification of a stress-sensitive anorexigenic neurocircuit from medial prefrontal cortex to lateral hypothalamus.

The paper identifies a stress-sensitive anorexigenic pathway from the medial prefrontal cortex to the lateral hypothalamus in mice and shows its role in regulating food intake during stress.

Labeled lines for fat and sugar reward combine to promote overeating

The paper identifies separate vagal reward circuits for fat and sugar that drive overeating when both are activated, even when calorie intake is controlled.

High Fat Diet Blunts Stress-Induced Hypophagia and Activation of Glp1r Dorsal Lateral Septum Neurons in Male but not in Female Mice

Coupling of oxytocin and cholecystokinin pathways in the hypothalamus is required for gut-to-brain homeostatic feeding control

This study shows that oxytocin and cholecystokinin pathways in hypothalamic neurons are critical for gut-to-brain feeding control, with their disruption leading to hyperphagic obesity.

Restriction of dietary protein in rats increases progressive-ratio motivation for protein

This study shows that protein-restricted rats show increased motivation for protein-rich food, which disappears after refeeding.

CX3CL1 action on microglia protects from diet-induced obesity by restoring POMC neuronal excitability and melanocortin system activity impaired by high-fat diet feeding

This study shows that CX3CL1 reduces diet-induced obesity by restoring POMC neuron function and melanocortin signaling through microglial modulation.

Hindbrain catecholaminergic inputs to the paraventricular thalamus scale feeding and metabolic efficiency in stress-related contexts

Prefrontal cortex melanocortin 4 receptors (MC4R) mediate food intake behavior in mice

This study identifies a novel population of MC4R-expressing neurons in the infralimbic prefrontal cortex of mice that regulate food intake and executive function.

Peripheral ghrelin administration prevents the behavioral effects of restraint stress in mice: possible implication of PVNCRH neurons.

This study shows that ghrelin administration reduces restraint stress-induced grooming in mice by inhibiting PVNCRH neurons, suggesting a role for these neurons in stress behavior.

Computational mechanisms of osmoregulation: a reinforcement learning model for sodium appetite

This paper develops a homeostatic reinforcement learning model to simulate sodium appetite behavior and explains osmoregulation as a reinforcement learning process.

Obesity medication lorcaserin requires brainstem GLP-1 neurons to reduce food intake in mice

This study identifies brainstem GLP-1 neurons as essential for lorcaserin's effect on reducing food intake in mice and suggests combination therapy with GLP-1R agonists may enhance efficacy.

An essential role for a discrete parasubthalamic nucleus subpopulation in appetite suppression

The paper identifies two subpopulations of parasubthalamic nucleus neurons in mice and shows that PSTNTac1 neurons are essential for appetite suppression.

Melanocortin receptor agonist melanotan-II microinjected in the nucleus accumbens decreases appetitive and consumptive responding for food

This study shows that melanotan-II injected into the nucleus accumbens reduces food consumption and appetitive behavior without affecting metabolism or causing aversion.

Hypercaloric diet triggers transient molecular rearrangements of astrocytes selectively in the arcuate nucleus

This study shows that a hypercaloric diet causes temporary molecular changes in astrocytes specifically in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus.

Keratinocyte-Associated Protein 3 is a novel gene for adiposity with differential effects in males and females

This study confirms that Krtcap3 affects adiposity and demonstrates sex-specific effects on body weight, food intake, and insulin sensitivity in rats.

Blockade of ghrelin receptor signaling enhances conditioned passive avoidance and context-associated neural circuit activation in fasted male rats

This study shows that blocking ghrelin receptor signaling in fasted male rats restores conditioned passive avoidance behavior and increases neural circuit activation in specific brain regions.

Modulation of stress-related behaviour by hypothalamic engagement of preproglucagon neurons in the nucleus of the solitary tract

This study identifies a hypothalamic-brainstem pathway involving PPG neurons in stress-induced anxiety-like behaviours and hypophagia, with sex-dependent effects.

Developmental single-cell transcriptomics of hypothalamic POMC progenitors reveal the genetic trajectories of multiple neuropeptidergic phenotypes

The paper uses single-cell RNA sequencing to study the developmental origins of POMC neurons and identifies distinct transcriptional programs leading to different neuropeptidergic phenotypes.

Metabolic-sensing in AgRP neurons integrates homeostatic state with dopamine signalling in the striatum

This study shows that impaired metabolic-sensing in AgRP neurons reduces dopamine release in the dorsal striatum and suppresses reward-seeking behavior, especially under hunger.

RNA-sequencing of human post-mortem hypothalamus and nucleus accumbens identifies expression profiles associated with obesity.

The paper identifies differentially expressed mRNAs and microRNAs in human brain tissues associated with obesity and BMI using RNA sequencing from multiple cohorts.

Hypothalamic effective connectivity at rest is associated with body weight and energy homeostasis

This study examines how body weight and energy homeostasis affect effective connectivity between hypothalamic regions using resting-state fMRI in humans.

Astrocytes in the dorsal vagal complex are not activated by systemic glucoprivation and their chemogenetic activation does not elicit homeostatic glucoregulatory responses in mice

This study shows DVC astrocytes do not respond to systemic glucoprivation and their activation does not restore blood glucose in mice.

Leptin-mediated suppression of food intake by conserved Glp1r-expressing neurons prevents obesity

The paper identifies a conserved population of GABAergic Glp1r-expressing LepRb neurons that mediate leptin's suppression of food intake and prevention of obesity.