Genetically Dissecting Basal Forebrain Circuits Underlying Eating Disorders
Abstract
Abnormal eating habits that drive excessive food seeking- or avoidance, can manifest as health-threatening and socially impactful eating disorders. Comorbidity often exists between eating disorders and stress, an emotional state tightly associated with military personnel and their families. Studies investigating the neural contribution to eating habits and body weight control have focused largely on neuropeptidergic signaling in the hypothalamus, a key brain region involved in feeding behavior. We have previously reported a potent role for basal forebrain cholinergic neurons in regulating feeding behavior, and recently discovered that cell type-specific manipulations of their immediate downstream targets are capable of directly toggling a spectrum of eating-associated behaviors that range from increased food seeking and excessive food consumption to severe hypophagia, overt food avoidance, and starvation. We found that cholinergic (ACh+) neurons within the basal forebrain make synaptic connections onto neighboring glutamatergic (Glu+) projection neurons, which in turn directly govern feeding behavior. Our preliminary data identify prominent targets of basal forebrain Glu+ neurons within the LH, an area associated with feeding, reward processing, and addiction. This discovery provides intriguing insight into a previously unknown circuit that links the cholinergic basal forebrain, which is known for its role in attention, wakefulness, and sensory processing, to value based components of eating associated behaviors. Experiments designed in this award will elucidate the mechanisms by which basal forebrain circuits govern food seeking and/or food aversion.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2020
- Accession Number
- AD1115261
Entities
People
- Qingchun Tong
Organizations
- University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston