Reward-representing D1-type neurons in the medial shell of the accumbens nucleus regulate palatable food intake.

ABSTRACT:

Background/objectives

Dysfunction in reward-related aspects of feeding, and consequent overeating in humans, is a major contributor to obesity. Intrauterine undernutrition and overnutrition are among the predisposing factors, but the exact mechanism of how overeating develops is still unclear. Consummatory behavior is regulated by the medial shell (mSh) of the accumbens nucleus (Nac) through direct connections with the rostral part of the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA). Our aim was to investigate whether an altered Nac-LHA circuit may underlie hyperphagic behavior.

Subjects/methods

Intrauterine protein-restricted (PR) male Wistar rats were used as models for hyperphagia. The experiments were performed using young adult control (normally nourished) and PR animals. Sweet cond

SUBMITTER: Durst M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6484714 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature