Overlapping brain circuits for homeostatic and hedonic feeding

Although the processes behind the control of homeostatic feeding (required for basic metabolic processes and survival) and hedonic feeding (related to sensory perception or pleasure) are often considered separately, Rossi & Stuber (2018) believe there is a link between the two. Data indicate that many neural circuits that govern feeding behavior also are involved in the brain’s reward system (anatomically and functionally). Moreover, food consumption and reward can be influenced by altering several neural pathways. The authors ask their fellow researchers to look beyond food intake when investigating the neural control of feeding, and take into account other behaviors. This research is regarded to be crucial since the central regulation of food consumption is a key mechanism contributing to energy homeostasis. [NPID: perception, homeostatic feeding, hedonic feeding, food pleasure, feeding behavior, reward]

Year: 2018

Reference: Rossi, M. A., & Stuber, G. D. (2018). Overlapping Brain Circuits for Homeostatic and Hedonic Feeding. Cell metabolism, 27(1), 42–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2017.09.021