AI Article Synopsis

  • Researchers studied how different parts of the hypothalamus in larval zebrafish control appetite, focusing on the medial and lateral regions.
  • They found that during food deprivation, specific neurons in the medial part become more active, while those in the lateral part become less active, and this pattern reverses when food is available.
  • The study suggests that these hypothalamic regions work against each other to manage feelings of hunger and fullness, influencing feeding behavior and energy balance.

Article Abstract

Medial and lateral hypothalamic loci are known to suppress and enhance appetite, respectively, but the dynamics and functional significance of their interaction have yet to be explored. Here we report that, in larval zebrafish, primarily serotonergic neurons of the ventromedial caudal hypothalamus (cH) become increasingly active during food deprivation, whereas activity in the lateral hypothalamus (LH) is reduced. Exposure to food sensory and consummatory cues reverses the activity patterns of these two nuclei, consistent with their representation of opposing internal hunger states. Baseline activity is restored as food-deprived animals return to satiety via voracious feeding. The antagonistic relationship and functional importance of cH and LH activity patterns were confirmed by targeted stimulation and ablation of cH neurons. Collectively, the data allow us to propose a model in which these hypothalamic nuclei regulate different phases of hunger and satiety and coordinate energy balance via antagonistic control of distinct behavioral outputs.

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http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6799978PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.43775DOI Listing

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