Article
Neurosciences
Joel D. Hahn, Lei Gao, Tyler Boesen, Lin Gou, Houri Hintiryan, Hong-Wei Dong
Summary: This study investigated the neuronal connections of the lateral preoptic area (LPO) and the caudally adjacent lateral hypothalamic area anterior region (LHAa) in mice. The results showed highly diverse connections of these hypothalamic regions with over 200 gray matter regions spanning the forebrain, midbrain, and rhombicbrain. These connections are associated with various functions including reward prediction, innate survival behaviors, and affect.
JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Jessica L. Swanson, Joshua Ortiz-Guzman, Snigdha Srivastava, Pey-Shyuan Chin, Sean W. Dooling, Elizabeth Hanson Moss, Mikhail Y. Kochukov, Patrick J. Hunt, Jay M. Patel, Brandon T. Pekarek, Qingchun Tong, Benjamin R. Arenkiel
Summary: Research has identified a circuit connecting the basal forebrain to the lateral habenula that modulates non-homeostatic feeding behavior. Glutamatergic neurons in the basal forebrain respond to various sensory cues, including aversive and food-related odors. Activation of this circuit drives aversion and suppresses the drive to eat in a fasted state.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Nutrition & Dietetics
Allison W. Rautmann, Claire B. de la Serre
Summary: The gut microbiota plays a key role in modulating host physiology and behavior, particularly in relation to feeding behavior, energy balance, and obesity. Changes in microbiome composition due to diet can lead to weight gain, adiposity, and alterations in ingestive behavior. Research is focused on understanding the role of the microbiome in the development of obesity and using microbiome manipulation to reduce food intake and promote weight loss.
Article
Neurosciences
Can Wang, Meiyu Chen, Chuan Qin, Xiaoyi Qu, Xueyong Shen, Sheng Liu
Summary: The study found that acupuncture-induced pain relief can result in a rewarding effect, and the orexin signaling in the lateral hypothalamus plays a critical role in this process.
FRONTIERS IN MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Jing Wang, Shanshan Wu, Huidong Zhan, Wenkai Bi, Yang Xu, Yixiao Liang, Yueping Ge, Li Peng, Xinchen Jin, Keke Lu, Jiajun Zhao, Ling Gao, Zhao He
Summary: This study reveals the impact of p38 alpha in the preoptic area (POA) on brown adipose tissue (BAT) thermogenesis. The results demonstrate that deficiency of p38 alpha can significantly increase BAT thermogenesis, leading to decreased body weight gain and fat mass, thereby exacerbating obesity development.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Joshua Stamos, Katherine Stalnaker, Suraj Teegala, Vanessa H. Routh, Kevin D. Beck
Summary: Orexin neurons in the Lateral Hypothalamus play an important role in food seeking behavior. Modulation of extracellular glucose levels significantly affects the motivation to work for food, but not the hedonic value of the food. Once feeding has begun, animals become unresponsive to changes in extracellular glucose levels.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Joshua Stamos, Katherine Stalnaker, Suraj Teegala, Vanessa H. Routh, Kevin D. Beck
Summary: The study found that orexin neurons in the Lateral Hypothalamus (LH) are important for food seeking behavior. Modulating glucose levels in LH showed that 4 mM glucose significantly decreased motivation to work for sucrose pellets without affecting their hedonic value. Additionally, changes in extracellular glucose levels in LH did not affect behavior once consumption had started.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Hua Tang, Ramon Bartolo, Bruno B. Averbeck
Summary: This study revealed the spatio-temporal distribution of information in the prefrontal cortex, uncovering task-specific signal flows and indicating anatomical segregation followed by rapid integration of information within the LPFC.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Isadora C. C. Furigo, Laura Dearden
Summary: As global obesity rates continue to rise, the number of pregnancies complicated by maternal obesity has also increased. Maternal obesity not only has negative health outcomes for both the mother and the baby during pregnancy and birth, but also increases the risk of developing obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in later life. Animal models have shown that offspring of obese mothers tend to have increased food intake, suggesting potential changes in the control of food intake. This review examines the development of the hypothalamus, the impact of maternal obesity on its structure and function in offspring, and the factors that may mediate permanent changes in hypothalamic function in individuals exposed to an obese in utero environment.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Eva Prida, Sara Alvarez-Delgado, Raquel Perez-Lois, Mateo Soto-Tielas, Ana Estany-Gestal, Johan Ferno, Luisa Maria Seoane, Mar Quinones, Omar Al-Massadi
Summary: Fibroblast growth factor 21 plays a key role in regulating metabolism and has direct effects on the central nervous system. It is involved in maintaining energy homeostasis, glucose and lipid metabolism, and insulin sensitivity. Recombinant fibroblast growth factor 21 therapies have shown efficacy in counteracting obesity and related metabolic disorders in rodents and nonhuman primates.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Pryscila D. S. Teixeira, Angela M. Ramos-Lobo, Mariana Rosolen Tavares, Frederick Wasinski, Renata Frazao, Jose Donato Jr
Summary: Leptin is essential for body weight regulation in adult animals, but it plays a different role in development. Research shows that the effects of leptin on energy balance regulation start around postnatal day 13 in male mice and postnatal day 20 in females. Furthermore, leptin deficiency can impact hypothalamic gene expression and fasting-induced responses in early postnatal stages.
JOURNAL OF ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Sonja Yokum, Eric Stice
Summary: This study used fMRI to examine the neural responses of female adolescents to milkshake cues and receipt. Overweight/obese individuals showed a stronger response in reward regions to milkshake cues and receipt compared to those with a healthy weight. In addition, the presence of a risk for eating pathology enhanced the response to milkshake cues in overweight/obese individuals.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Laurent Brondel, Didier Quilliot, Thomas Mouillot, Naim Akhtar Khan, Philip Bastable, Vincent Boggio, Corinne Leloup, Luc Penicaud
Summary: Obesity is the result of an alteration in the homeostatic feedback of energy balance, leading to a temporary or prolonged positive energy balance. Food plays a key role in reward-based energy intake, and an alteration in the brain reward system may contribute to the development of obesity by increasing the attractiveness and consumption of fat-rich foods. Understanding this altered reward system may have implications for the diagnosis, management, and treatment of obesity.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
X. Yang, X. Liu, Y. Zeng, R. Wu, W. Zhao, F. Xin, S. Yao, K. M. Kendrick, R. P. Ebstein, B. Becker
Summary: The study found that primary rewards decrease in hedonic value with repeated receipt, while secondary rewards increase in hedonic value and preference. This suggests that secondary reinforcers, such as money, can acquire enhanced incentive motivation with repeated receipt.
BRAIN STRUCTURE & FUNCTION
(2021)
Article
Neurosciences
Edmund T. Rolls, Ruiqing Feng, Wei Cheng, Jianfeng Feng
Summary: Large-scale analyses revealed underlying functional connectivity differences between humans related to food reward and their association with being overweight. This study highlights the relationship between brain connectivity, food reward systems, and BMI.
SOCIAL COGNITIVE AND AFFECTIVE NEUROSCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Erynn L. Christensen, Ian H. Harding, Katharina Voigt, Trevor T-J Chong, Antonio Verdejo-Garcia
Summary: This study investigated the relationship between obesity and functional brain activations during food selection and consumption. Individuals with higher BMI showed less activation in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during food choice and less vmPFC activation during consumption. Regardless of BMI, selecting a less preferred beverage elicited higher activation in the dACC and anterior insula during food choice.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF OBESITY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Alex Reichenbach, Rachel E. Clarke, Romana Stark, Sarah Haas Lockie, Mathieu Mequinion, Harry Dempsey, Sasha Rawlinson, Felicia Reed, Tara Sepehrizadeh, Michael DeVeer, Astrid C. Munder, Juan Nunez-Iglesias, David C. Spanswick, Randall Mynatt, Alexxai Kravitz, Christopher Dayas, Robyn Brown, Zane B. Andrews
Summary: This study found that metabolic sensing in AgRP neurons is crucial for regulating motivation for food reward by modulating dopamine release in the striatum.
Article
Psychology, Social
Lauren Hanegraaf, Jakob Hohwy, Antonio Verdejo-Garcia
Summary: This study systematically evaluated social processing deficits using the Alternative Model for Personality Disorders and the Research Domain Criteria. The results showed a link between clusters of maladaptive personality traits and distinctive profiles of social processing deficits, providing insights for research on disorders involving social processing dysfunctions.
JOURNAL OF PERSONALITY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alex H. Robinson, Trevor T-J Chong, Antonio Verdejo-Garcia
Summary: People with Methamphetamine Use Disorder (PwMUD) show deficits in exploitative decision-making and engage in frequent behavioral exploration. Those who exhibit increased behavioral exploration, use of past choice outcomes, and choice consistency are more likely to reduce methamphetamine use over a 6 week period.
Article
Substance Abuse
Victoria Manning, Joshua B. B. Garfield, John Reynolds, Petra K. Staiger, Hugh Piercy, Yvonne Bonomo, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, David Jacka, Reinout W. Wiers, Antonio Verdejo-Garcia, Dan Lubman
Summary: The study demonstrates that approach bias modification during inpatient withdrawal treatment can delay time to first lapse and increase alcohol abstinence rates for at least 3 months post-discharge.
Article
Substance Abuse
Antonio Verdejo-Garcia, Tara Rezapour, Emily Giddens, Arash Khojasteh Zonoozi, Parnian Rafei, Jamie Berry, Alfonso Caracuel, Marc L. Copersino, Matt Field, Eric L. Garland, Valentina Lorenzetti, Leandro Malloy-Diniz, Victoria Manning, Ely M. Marceau, David L. Pennington, Justin C. Strickland, Reinout Wiers, Rahia Fairhead, Alexandra Anderson, Morris Bell, Wouter J. Boendermaker, Samantha Brooks, Raimondo Bruno, Salvatore Campanella, Janna Cousijn, W. Miles Cox, Andrew C. Dean, Karen D. Ersche, Ingmar Franken, Brett Froeliger, Pedro Gamito, Thomas E. Gladwin, Priscila D. Goncalves, Katrijn Houben, Joanna Jacobus, Andrew Jones, Anne M. Kaag, Johannes Lindenmeyer, Elly McGrath, Talia Nardo, Jorge Oliveira, Charlotte R. Pennington, Kelsey Perrykkad, Hugh Piercy, Claudia Rupp, Mieke H. J. Schulte, Lindsay M. Squeglia, Petra Staiger, Dan J. Stein, Jeff Stein, Maria Stein, William W. Stoops, Mary Sweeney, Katie Witkiewitz, Steven P. Woods, Richard Yi, Min Zhao, Hamed Ekhtiari
Summary: This study used a Delphi approach to reach consensus on recommendations for developing and applying cognitive training and remediation interventions for substance use disorders. Through two rounds of surveys, experts reached consensus on the targets, approaches, active ingredients, and modes of delivery for these interventions. The study indicates that intervention measures based on validated techniques and flexible delivery methods can effectively improve cognitive deficits in the treatment of substance use disorders.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Helen J. Rushby, Zane B. Andrews, Matthew D. W. Piper, Christen K. Mirth
Summary: Modifying the proportions of macronutrients in the diet has significant effects on the reproduction and health of animals. In this study, using capillary feeding assays, we explored how adult fruit flies compromise their nutrient intake when limited to single diets. We found that young male and female flies compromised by consuming more food on diets with low protein to carbohydrate ratios. Additionally, female flies showed greater variations in carbohydrate intake compared to males, and mated females consumed more food than virgin females.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Romana Stark, Jack Feehan, Aya Mousa, Zane B. B. Andrews, Barbora de Courten
Summary: This study identified an association between liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide 2 (LEAP2) levels and key cardiometabolic risk factors in individuals with overweight and obesity, including body fat, insulin secretion, and insulin resistance. LEAP2 may represent a potential therapeutic target to promote insulin secretion in individuals with type 2 diabetes and obesity.
DIABETES OBESITY & METABOLISM
(2023)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Jocelyn Halim, Alex H. Robinson, Juan F. Navas, Cristina Martin-Perez, Raquel Vilar-Lopez, Trevor T-J Chong, Antonio Verdejo-Garcia
Summary: Obesity in adolescence is associated with a preference for exploratory behaviors, independent of sensitivity to reward. This study found that adolescents with excess weight displayed more exploratory behavior and switching behavior than their healthy-weight counterparts. However, there was no difference in reinforcement sensitivity between the two groups. This pattern may underlie the intrinsic desire to explore energy-dense unhealthy foods and could be targeted in future treatments of obesity in adolescents.
Review
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Emily Giddens, Brittany Noy, Trevor Steward, Antonio Verdejo-Garcia
Summary: Disinhibited eating is linked to various health conditions, such as obesity and binge-eating disorders, and stress plays a role in its development. However, the specific mechanisms behind this relationship are not well understood. This systematic review examined how stress impacts the neurobiological substrates related to food-related reward sensitivity, interoception, and cognitive control, explaining its role in disinhibited eating behaviors. The review identified seven studies using functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the neural effects of stress on individuals with disinhibited eating. The results showed mixed findings, with acute stress being associated with deactivation of cognitive control regions, while chronic stress was related to deactivation of reward and cognitive control regions when viewing palatable food cues. Overall, more research is needed to strengthen understanding in this field.
REVIEWS IN ENDOCRINE & METABOLIC DISORDERS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Kaixin Huang, Laura K. Milton, Harry Dempsey, Stephen J. Power, Kyna-Anne Conn, Zane B. Andrews, Claire J. Foldi
Summary: Anorexia nervosa is a psychiatric disorder with a high mortality rate. Cognitive inflexibility is associated with the disorder, but it is unclear whether it predisposes individuals to anorexia nervosa. Previous animal studies using the activity-based anorexia model have shown a link between cognitive inflexibility and pathological weight loss. However, testing flexible learning in the same animals before exposure to the activity-based anorexia model has been difficult. This study presents a fully-automated and experimenter-free touchscreen cognitive testing system for rats and examines the relationship between reversal learning and weight loss in the activity-based anorexia model. The findings provide insights into the connection between cognitive inflexibility and pathological weight loss and offer potential targets for future research on pharmacotherapies for anorexia nervosa.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Felicia Reed, Alex Reichenbach, Harry Dempsey, Rachel E. Clarke, Mathieu Mequinion, Romana Stark, Sasha Rawlinson, Claire J. Foldi, Sarah H. Lockie, Zane B. Andrews
Summary: This study reveals that hunger and the environmental context can increase food-seeking behavior, and the activity of AgRP neurons plays a crucial role in this process. Precise temporal control of AgRP neuron activity is necessary for the development of the context-induced feeding response.
MOLECULAR METABOLISM
(2023)
Review
Substance Abuse
Alexandra C. Anderson, Antonio Verdejo-Garcia
Summary: The review discusses the feasibility of using cognitive remediation as an intervention to improve impulse control in addictive disorders, although the evidence is still preliminary.
CURRENT ADDICTION REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Wang Lok So, Jiachen Hu, Lotus Jeffs, Harry Dempsey, Sarah H. Lockie, Jeffrey M. Zigman, Romana Stark, Alex Reichenbach, Zane B. Andrews
Summary: The sensory detection of food suppresses AgRP neuronal activity, and ghrelin receptor signaling on AgRP neurons integrates energy need with external sensory cues to produce an optimal change in AgRP neural activity.
MOLECULAR METABOLISM
(2023)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Kavya Raj, Rebecca Segrave, Jeggan Tiego, Antonio Verd, Murat Yuecel
Summary: The study explores the problematic use of the internet (PUI) among Australian university students. It identifies three classes of internet users, including those with severe internet-related problems and those with mild problems but equally severe mental health issues. The study highlights the significant impact of PUI on academic misconduct and the importance of resilience and trait mindfulness in preventing maladaptive internet use and poor academic outcomes.
COMPUTERS IN HUMAN BEHAVIOR REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Pei-Yang Gao, Ya-Nan Ou, Yi-Ming Huang, Zhi-Bo Wang, Yan Fu, Ya-Hui Ma, Qiong-Yao Li, Li-Yun Ma, Rui-Ping Cui, Yin-Chu Mi, Lan Tan, Jin-Tai Yu
Summary: Liver function may play a role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease. The study found that as AD progressed, certain liver function markers increased while others decreased. The relationship between liver function and CSF AD biomarkers indicates a potential mediation effect on cognition.
JOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY
(2024)