Edinger-Westphal Urocortin-1 neurons regulate consumption and affect.

ABSTRACT: Affective and consumption circuits in the brain are intertwined, with changes in each domain often affecting the other. Therapeutic interventions that reduce consumption, thereby facilitating weight loss, have tended to increase anxiety and depression. Obesity is a major risk factor for poor health; thus, it is important to understand the circuits and signals that regulate consummatory and affective behavior. Neurons expressing Urocortin-1 (Ucn) in the Edinger-Westphal (EW) nucleus have been hypothesized to play an important role in regulating both consummatory and affective behavioral domains and responses to stress. We generated Ucn^Cre mice to allow measurement of Ucn neuron calcium activity and to directly activate these neurons during consummatory behaviors and repeated rest

SUBMITTER: Bluett RJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12536611 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature