Andrews Laboratory
Neural Control of Energy Homeostasis
Neural Control of Energy Homeostasis
How does the brain sense and respond to hunger?
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Hunger is a fundamental driver of behaviour for all mammals, necessary for survival of the species. The purpose of hunger appears obvious - it makes you eat. However, hunger influences many other functions, including mood, motivation, memory, attention and arousal. We are interested in understanding the neural circuits that sense hunger and influence behavioural responses. By understanding these pathways, we hope to address overeating and food addiction in obesity, eating disorders and the associated comorbid psychiatric problems.
Agrp neurons convey hunger throughout the brain and promote adaptative behaviours (mood, motivation, memory, attention, stress control) to enable coping with periods of low food availability. We seek to understand how these neurons detect hunger and influence these behaviours.
Ghrelin is a message (hormone) from the body that tells the brain there is limited food available. We seek to understand how ghrelin helps the body cope with hunger by influencing physiology and behaviour.
Sensory processing of external cues and emotional state influence appetite. We examine the neural circuits responsible.
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