Lateral hypothalamus neurons (green) project to the ventral tegmental area in the mouse brainMIT, EDWARD NIEH, KARA PREBREY, AND KAY TYETwo independent research teams have defined populations of neurons in the hypothalamus that are responsible for food-as-reward stimulation, but are likely not necessary to spur eating for survival. Both groups published their findings today (January 29) in Cell.
“These are big papers that start to define the complexity and heterogeneity of [the hypothalamus] and the specific sets of neurons that can produce dramatic behavioral results,” said Ralph DiLeone, a neurobiologist at Yale University who was not involved in the work.
Using optogenetics, neuroscientist Garret Stuber at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and his colleagues found that activating GABAergic neurons within the lateral hypothalamus (LH) led mice to feed more frequently, while inhibiting the activity of these neurons motivated the mice to not eat in excess. These neurons were distinct from other neuronal populations in the LH previously implicated in eating and other reward-related behaviors. When these neurons were genetically ablated, the mice were less motivated to obtain a liquid calorie reward. ...
