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Time to drink: Activating lateral hypothalamic area neurotensin neurons promotes intake of fluid over food in a time-dependent manner
The lateral hypothalamic region (LHA) is crucial for eating and drinking behavior, where the activation of LHA neurons concurrently encourages eating and drinking for the most part, yet the LHA has received very little research on its specific role in regulating drinking. LHA neurons that produce neurotensin (LHANts neurons) are a remarkable exception. When activated, they increase water intake but only slightly reduce eating. In this study by Kurt et al. (2022), the authors demonstrate how LHANts neurons are connected, their role in the processes of eating and drinking, and how the availability of resources and timing affect how they modulate these behaviors. Brain areas associated with energy and water sensing provide information to LHANts neurons. Additionally, the lateral preoptic area (LPO), a part of the brain associated with modifying drinking behavior, is one of the several areas of the brain to which LHANts neurons transmit. Activation of LHANts neurons selectively encourages drinking during the light cycle, when ingestive desire is low, even though it is not necessary to sustain homeostatic water or food intake. No matter how many calories are in the fluids, activating LHANts neurons at this time also boosts the desire to seek water or other pleasant fluids. Furthermore, the authors demonstrate that stimulating the LHANts LPO projection alone is enough to regulate drinking behavior, but does not inhibit eating as was seen after activating all LHANts neurons in general. In contrast, LHANts neuronal activity during the dark cycle was found to decrease eating during this period rather than promote drinking. The authors conclude that their findings reveal how and when LHANts neurons may control ingestive behaviors in an opposing manner. [NPID: Arcuate nucleus, central amygdala, lateral hypothalamic area, neurotensin, lateral preoptic area, body weight, feeding, homeostasis, reward]
Year: 2022
