Time to drink: Activating lateral hypothalamic area neurotensin neurons promotes intake of fluid over food in a time-dependent manner.

ABSTRACT: The lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) is essential for ingestive behavior but has primarily been studied in modulating feeding, with comparatively scant attention on drinking. This is partly because most LHA neurons simultaneously promote feeding and drinking, suggesting that ingestive behaviors track together. A notable exception are LHA neurons expressing neurotensin (LHA^Nts neurons): activating these neurons promotes water intake but modestly restrains feeding. Here we investigated the connectivity of LHA^Nts neurons, their necessity and sufficiency for drinking and feeding, and how timing and resource availability influence their modulation of these behaviors. LHA^Nts neurons project broadly throughout the brain, including to the lateral preoptic area (LPO)

SUBMITTER: Kurt G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8844224 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature